Pieces of September
by M. Alicia Garcia
Summary: Why can’t I be your strength, Enju? Why must you be broken?
1. When the past comes home

Legalities:_ So far as the characters and story goes, I don't own 'em and I never did. This story is a derivative work from Please Save My Earth, however I claim no rights to it._

**Pieces of September:**

When the past comes home

**Timeline:** The Present - August -

Jinpachi Ogura had given up on the lovely Alice Sakaguchi when he finally realized that he had never had a chance with her, and probably never would. He was twenty-one years old when he'd made this realization. He had fallen in love with her when he was seventeen. Baka, was the only word that came to mind. For four years he had desired her, pursued her, and declared his love for her...a love that he told her, time and again, far surpassed the false love Shion had for her, for Mokuren. It hadn't mattered how he'd address it, Mokuren...Alice...they were one and the same.  
"_I'm not Mokuren!_" Alice had once snapped at him. He could only stare at her, shocked by her uncharacteristic outburst. "_I can't be her. How is it that you can be so certain I am? You speak of her as this perfect being, as something beyond reach, but I am neither of those things. I am only human._"  
Despite her words, he had failed to understand her. He could only see perfection. Mokuren...Alice...she was not a mere woman to him. She surpassed all that, she was not one of them...she was better than them. The sins of humanity could not touch her.  
And yet, Shion had.  
He had touched her heart. For some strange reason, Shion intrigued her. She was so easily crushed by his cruelty as she was easily moved by his false charms and consuming rage. Jinpachi had sensed from her an empathy for him, as if they shared a common bond. It enraged him even more to think just how Shion had misused her kindness and thoughtfulness for him...  
He had dared to touch her.  
"_Shion took Mokuren by using violence,_" he recalled telling her, "_He raped Mokuren!_"  
_Shion could only hurt her. And yet she loved him._  
_And Rin, he..._  
But all that was behind them.  
The past was becoming lost to them after all these years of dwelling in it and struggling to recapture it. Perhaps that was a good thing,...for all of them.

Issei Nishikiori spotted Sakura standing between a tree and a park bench with her back to him and her arms folded across her chest. _Ten minutes late..._ He could tell by her stance that she had grown impatient waiting for him. He almost laughed out loud just thinking about how patient she had been with him all those years ago. It probably hadn't helped that he had been oblivious to her feelings as well. It was a characteristic he associated more with Issei than Enju. Enju probably would have seen through Sakura right away. They'd been friends for far too long to keep such secrets from each other.  
The wind began to pick up as he walked toward her. Issei couldn't help but take notice as her skirt swayed, brushing against the curves of her legs, or how her hair blew to one side, dancing in the wind's current. It amazed him to think just how beautiful she was. After all these years she was still beautiful to him. When he came within a few feet from her, Issei instinctively slowed his pace and was careful not to make a sound as he crept up behind her.  
_Slowly...slowly_...  
Then, before she could understand what had occurred, Issei wrapped his arms around her and held her in a warm embrace. Sakura was noticeably startled at first, but within moments she eased herself into his arms and rested her head against his.  
_He loves me..._  
"You're late, you know." She finally uttered, her body still nested in his embrace.  
He smiled. "I know."  
"Hmm...and still, I don't detect an apology."  
"Yeah." He nuzzled her hair, "but then we wouldn't have moments like these," he answered. He slid his arms down and wrapped them around hers like a shield.  
"You always forget to bring a sweater. You'll freeze."  
Sakura smiled. "Not if you keep holding me. Why do you think I even dated you in the first place? I was in college, sweaters were expensive...you do the math."  
"You're terrible, you know that?"  
Sakura laughed. She turned her body to face his, she was no longer pressed up against him but she made certain to remain close enough to take in his warmth. Issei dropped his arms and rested his hands on her hips.  
"So what took you so long?" Sakura inquired.  
"It was Jin, he called me up to let me know that he'll be returning to Tokyo."  
_Jinpachi Ogura_. Just a few years ago the mention of that name made her uneasy. Issei had taken his rejection so hard. Enju's love for that man had been so unshakable, even knowing that she could never reside in his heart the way Mokuren did. She could never be more than the women in his bed, she was never a part of him, even though he was everything to Enju. Issei knew that. He was not as blindly faithful as Enju had been, but that didn't put his heart at any more ease. His own feelings had betrayed him. As his confidante and best friend, Sakura came to know all these things, Issei's feelings for Jinpachi, Enju's feelings for Gyokuran. How little things had changed, except Issei was now a man. Only this time her feelings for Issei, her empathy, compassion, concern, and her closeness and admiration for him had changed into something more.  
_How is it that I came to love you?_ It had always been a mystery to Sakura, but somehow it had occurred before she could even realize what had happened.  
Issei stared at the top of Sakura's head as she grew silent. He knew she was lost in thought again. It always happened whenever he brought up Jin's name, then for a brief moment she would lose herself in the past. Issei brought his hand up to her face and caressed her cheek. He ran his fingers across her jaw line before gently pulling her chin up. Sakura looked up at his eyes questioningly. Issei smiled and leaned down to meet her in a kiss. He felt himself tickled a bit as Sakura slowly slid her arms inside his unzipped jacket and wrapped them around his waist. Several moments passed before Issei finally pulled away.  
"Hmm?" Sakura opened her eyes slowly, a little disappointed to break the kiss so soon.  
"You were going to tell me something, baka. Or have you already forgotten?"  
Sakura shook herself back into reality.  
"Oh, that's right. I called you to meet me here."  
"So?"  
Sakura grinned, "Well...."  
"I'm waiting." Issei knew Sakura's song and dance by now. She always took pleasure in delaying news. She enjoyed watching others grow anxious and impatient, but mostly she liked to it when it was Issei who was at the receiving end of her little game. But today he had no intention of letting her win.  
"I'm not sure if I should say anything after all..." Sakura taunted.  
"Fine. I'm gone." Issei began to turn away when Sakura suddenly grabbed him arm to stop him and wrapped her arms around around his shoulders, burying her face in his neck.  
"Please don't go." She begged.  
Issei was surprised by her sudden seriousness. He wrapped his arms around her waist.  
"It's okay, don't get upset. I was only joking. I just thought I would play your game too...Sakura?" Issei felt his neck grow hot and wet. "Sakura? Are you crying?"  
"I'm sorry, I don't know why I'm so emotional. It's not like anything is wrong." Issei could feel her warm breath on his ear as she spoke. She laughed, "I was just so excited and I didn't know how to say it, but..."  
Sakura paused a moment and dropped her voice to a whisper.  
"_You're gonna be a Daddy._"

Rin waited at the Passenger Pick up area of the Airport, leaning against the side of Issei's car. He had it on loan while he went to pick up Ogura Jinpachi from the airport as a favor to Issei Nishikiori. Not to say that he wasn't looking forward to meeting up with his old rival once again. Actually, he looked forward to it. Ten years had passed since he first met him--Jinpachi who had once been a hated enemy and a threat to his relationship with Alice. The Gyokuran persona had become very integral to Jinpachi's current self which is probably why Rin still found himself resenting him. But those feelings would pass. Still--controlling his emotions still took some effort. Shion's memories were very much a part of his current self. Although he knew he was Rin, much of his maturity came from Shion's past.  
"_There are times that I don't know where Rin ends and Shion begins,_" he'd once told Alice, standing with her in the balcony of her parent's apartment. "_Would I still be me if I had never remembered Shion?_"  
There had been silence for a long stretch of time before Alice finally spoke up. Her eyes had been transfixed by the moon which was half in darkness.  
"_It's not so easy with us, Rin-kun. We've experienced some very extraordinary things....You were the one who knew I was Mokuren long before I finally let myself remember. Before I even had those memories, you knew me. Maybe there is always a part of us that lingers._"  
Alice had moved closer to the fourteen year old. She stood behind him and hesitantly set her hand on his shoulder.  
"_But then, what does that say about us, Alice?_" Rin had turned around as soon as he felt her touch his shoulder. He took her hand in his and caressed it, tracing the lines of her palm with his fingers. Alice blushed and looked away. "_It was Mokuren and Shion's love that brought us together. It scares me sometimes, to think that is the only reason why you're with me._" Alice looked up at Rin. Rin had known that his words had surprised her. He recalled her looking as though she wanted to speak, but he knew she'd been too agitated by his touch.  
_Sometimes she makes it feel like it's so wrong to touch her._  
Rin pulled her hand up to his lips and gently kissed her palm. Alice gasped softly, startled by Rin's actions.  
"_Rin, please--_"  
Rin let go of her hand and turned away from her. "_I'm sorry, I've made you uncomfortable._"  
"_Rin, it's not--_"  
"_It's okay. You still can't see me as a man. I understand that. But that also scares me, Alice. Sometimes I think that you will never be able to see me as one._"

Even now as the seventeen-year-old Rin looked up at a plane ascending into the sky, he could still hear remnants of that conversation that had occurred several years ago.  
_"But you're still so young, Rin. There's no need to make yourself grow up so fast..."_ Rin closed his eyes and tilted his head back in exasperation. The sunlight felt so hot on his fully exposed face.  
_Alice, you are so stupid sometimes._

Jinpachi was exhausted. The long flight hours, airport security, and finally baggage, it all amounted to a dire need for sleep. Yet he still had the ride home to look forward to. Jinpachi set down his suitcase and his carry on bag and felt relief come to his body from the loss of the excess weight. Small crowds of people rushed passed him, seeking out family, friends, and taxicabs. Jinpachi also tried to find a familiar face in the crowd, but saw no one. He had no clue who would be picking him up from the airport, he only knew they'd be picking him up in Issei's car. _Damn it! What Kinda car did Issei drive again?_ He picked up his baggage and moved through the crowd again, walking up and down the pick up platform when he finally saw him.  
_God. Is it really him?_  
The young man stood leaning against a black car just fifteen feet ahead of him. It had been years since he'd last seen him, but Jinpachi was sure it was him.  
"Rin?"  
The youth turned around. There was no mistaking it; he'd grown taller and his features had become more defined, but it was unmistakably him.  
"Rin Kobayashi. It's been ages. Looks like you've finally grown up."  
Rin smirked. "Yeah, so have you."


	2. Issei and Sakura Part 1

**Pieces of September**  
Issei and Sakura: Into the past [Part 1]

**Timeline:** University Years - April - Senior Year  
[About 4 Years Ago]

Sakura lay on her bed with papers and textbooks spread out at her feet. She yawned and closed her eyes as she stretched out her legs and knocked over a book and a stack of papers in the process. Issei, who sat on the floor with his back propped up against the foot of the bed, cringed as paper came pouring over him and yet another textbook came barreling down his shoulder.  
"Sakura, that's the second time," Issei set down the book he was reading and collected the book and papers Sakura had dropped.  
"Mmmm..." Sakura whined. "I don't wanna read anymore." She opened her eyes to find Issei hovering over her, holding up a cluttered stack of papers in both arms.  
"Well, you better get over it 'cuz midterms are in four days."  
Before Sakura could make another protest, Issei dropped the pile over her face.  
"Ouch! Did you just drop a book on my face?"  
Sakura jumped off the bed, papers once again dropping to the floor.  
"Now you know what it feels like to have crap dumped all over you. Geez, why'd you even invite me over if you weren't planning to take studying seriously?"  
Issei began to crouch down to take his place back on the floor when Sakura suddenly grabbed him by both hands and pulled him upright.  
"What are you doing?"  
"You know, you gotta chill out a bit." Sakura began to swing his arms from side to side. "We've been studying non-stop for three hours. Don't cha think we should use a break?"  
"Well...I guess," Issei answered rather reluctantly. In all honesty, taking a break was really the last thing he wanted to do. With graduation just around the corner, Issei wanted his last semester at Tokyo University to go without a hitch. Ever since the final events at the Tokyo tower about four years before, Issei had been determined to move on with his life as fast as possible.  
"Wonderful!" Sakura exclaimed. "Lets go out for some beef bowls. Let's see...there's the Beef Bowl Palace, um...Saonji's Beef Bowl or...or maybe we could try out that new Ramen shop around the corner. I hear it's pretty good."  
Issei couldn't help but smile. Sakura's excitable personality was infectious.  
"Okay, lets go. But could you please stop swinging my arms like that? All this swaying is starting to make me nauseous."  


When Sakura had made the suggestion that they go out to eat somewhere, Issei had not been fooled by her invitation. It was very Sakura-like that she always got away without paying the bill.  
"_Hey, you're a guy. Whenever you go out with a lady, you're supposed to treat her,_" Sakura had responded when he'd first called her on it.  
"_And you're supposed to be the 'Lady' in this scenario?_"  
"_You'd better watch it, Issei. I have half a mind you to smack you._"  
"_Hell, I'm just glad I'm not one of the poor sobs you date. The last thing I need in my life is for some selfish and self centered girl to use me as a free meal ticket._" Issei knew he'd been harsh. Sakura wasn't actually the bad person he was making her out to be. She was his closest friend, and perhaps his dearest friend, but time had been taking its toll on their friendship. The playful jabs they had once exchanged were no longer intended to tease so much as they were to hurt each other. Issei wasn't certain exactly when this change in their friendship had occurred. It saddened him to think of just how strained it had become between the both of them; the tension was reminiscent of his relationship with Jinpachi. Only with Jin, Issei knew that the problem lay with unrequited love. With Sakura it was something quite different; perhaps they were growing apart. The stories of the moon seemed to be behind them, and their lives were rapidly changing. _Was the past really all that bound us together? Or are we changing so much that we no longer need each other?_  
Issei looked up into the Ramen shop bathroom mirror as he dried off his hands with a paper towel.  
"Is that what it is?" He uttered to himself. "Are we drifting apart?"  
Issei remained unmoved has he continued to stare at his reflection, as if expecting to receive some kind of reply. _It's always so sad when you know you're losing a friend,_ he thought. _Like watching a train wreck..._  
Just then the bathroom door swung open and Issei's mind snapped back into reality. _Gotta stop letting your mind wander like that, Issei_, he thought as he tossed the paper towel into the trash can and headed out the door.  
"Sorry I took so long--" he began to say as he turned to his table, but stopped short when he realized that Sakura was not there.  
"Sakura?"  
Issei scanned the restaurant. With so many people and so many dividing walls it was difficult to find her. Issei gave up and took his seat.  
_She probably went to the bathroom_, he figured.  
Issei waited, drumming his fingers on the table. After a minute, he took the check in his hand and headed toward the entrance to the cashiers desk. That's when he saw her.  
"Saku--" he began to call out to her, but stopped when he realized she wasn't alone. Standing next to her was Aki Narita, Tokyo University's star basketball player. While Issei wasn't much for sports, he easily recognized Narita. Issei used to be a member of the University newspaper. He recalled the awful semester that he had been assigned to cover all the University's sporting events.  
Issei proceeded to the Cashier's desk, watching the two from the corner of his eye. He took notice of Sakura's open body language, they way she touched his shoulder as she laughed and the way she coyly toyed with her necklace. Issei paid the check and continued to observe the two. 

"_I don't like him,_" Issei had told Sakura.  
"_Soujiro? What's so bad about him?_"  
"_I don't know, but I don't trust him._"  
Sakura looked down. She seemed tired. _Why does he make it so difficult? Why can't you let me have this, Issei? I need this._  
"_You never approve of any of my male friends, you know._"  
"_Well, I know them a lot better than you do. I just don't want you to make the mistake of falling for someone who is all wrong for you._"  
Sakura felt the anger boil inside her.  
_Fall for someone who is all wrong for me?_  
"_What about you, Issei? I don't exactly see Jinpachi running to you with open arms, now. Yeah, you two are perfect for each other. You give him your heart while Jinpachi runs away._" 

"You have something in your hair," Aki told Sakura.  
"Huh?" Sakura combed her fingers through her hair. "Is it gone, now?"  
Aki shook his head.  
"Here, let me get it." Aki began to reach into her hair.  
"Sakura, there you are!" Issei interrupted. Sakura whipped her head around toward Issei before Aki could touch her hair.  
"I was wondering where you'd run off to."  
"Iss--"   
"Hold on, there's something in your hair." Issei reached into Sakura's hair and carefully pulled out the small piece of trash. "There you go." He briefly looked up at Aki Narita, his eyes hard.  
"So who's your friend?"  
"Issei. Geez, I'm so sorry. I was looking around the restaurant when I ran into my classmate. Issei Nishikiori, this is Aki Narita. You may know him, he plays basketball for our school."  
Narita casually bowed. "Pleased to meet you."  
"Yes," Issei replied as he returned the courtesy.  
"Well, Narita. It looks like we have to go now. You know how it is with midterms coming up," Sakura said.  
"Yeah. Guess I'll see you around," Narita replied.  
Issei only nodded and the two left the restaurant. They walked in silence for a moment before Sakura finally spoke.  
"You know, you could've been just a little bit nicer."  
"What are you talking about? I was being nice."  
"Sure."  
"I was!"  
Sakura grabbed Issei by the collar and halted their tracks. She peered searchingly into his eyes.  
"Eh? What are you--" Issei felt his face grow hot with embarrassment.  
"Hmm. Well I don't completely believe you, but it seems that you are improving," she cut in. Realizing just how close she was to him, Sakura felt a flush crawl upon her face.  
_What am I_...but before Sakura could finish her though she abruptly let go of Issei's collar and resumed walking.  
Issei stood dumbfounded.  
"Hey, wait up!" he finally said as he tried to catch up to Sakura. However Sakura kept up her brisk pace.  
"The slow get left behind, you know," she replied without turning around.  
She kept up her pace, keeping herself at least one step ahead of Issei during their walk back to her house. Sakura didn't want him to see her face, because although it was already dark outside, she was certain that he'd notice the deep flush that had spread across her cheeks. 

**Message from the Writer:** Hi there, thank you for reading my story. I would appreciate some feedback on the development of the story. For example, are the characters believeable? Is the jumping back and forth from past to present too confusing? Is the story even interesting enough to continue? I would be grateful for your imput.

**One more note:** For those of you who have been following the Alice and Rin story, don't worry...I will also get to them. There will also be a Jinpachi story and possibly a haruhiko story, but the haru story is iffy. I like to work out outlines before I sit down and type, that way I can have an over all picture of where I'm going. 

* * *

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1. When the past comes home2. Issei and Sakura [Part 1]3. The Girl of My Dreams4. Issei and Sakura [Part 2]5. Driving and Kissing6. Sisters and Brothers7. Issei and Sakura [Part 3]


	3. The Girl of My Dreams

**Pieces of September**  
The Girl of My Dreams

**Timeline:** The Present - August -

Jinpachi was somewhat taken back by Rin's growth. The seventeen-year-old towered over him by nearly three inches and his body appeared to be that of an athlete. In truth, Rin didn't look much like a high school boy. Had his face not been so smooth, he could have easily been mistaken for twenty.  
"You know," Jinpachi said. "The last time I saw you, I was still a bit taller than you."  
"Well, the last time you saw me I was only fourteen." Rin replied.  
Jinpachi nodded.   
"Three years doesn't seem very long does it?"  
"Speak for yourself," Rin answered. "I'm still in high school."  
Jin laughed.  
"Still the anxious one to grow up, aren't you?"  
Before Rin could answer, Jinpachi took his suitcase by the handle and dropped it in Rin's arms.  
"Help me put this in the trunk."  


Jinpachi rested his head back and shifted his body comfortably into the car seat. He briefly turned his attention to Rin whose eyes were on the road. _Rin driving?...time really has gone by_.  
"So, it's really been three years?" Jinpachi said. It had been fifteen minutes since they had made it out of the airport, and other than Rin uttering the word, "seatbelt," the two had fallen into a state of silence. Jinpachi knew the question had been pretty lame, but small talk was much better than an awkward silence, and with the heavy traffic, it would be quite a while before they got to his parents house.  
"Yeah, you came back for about a week."  
"A week? Oh, I remember. That's when I came back for Issei and Sakura's wedding. A part of me still can't believe that those two got together."  
"They seem happy, though," Rin added.  
"Yeah" Everything is so different, isn't it?"  
"I suppose," Rin said slowly. He glanced over at Jinpachi's face from the corner of his eye.  
_Come on. Just say it. I know you're dying to ask_.  
But Jin didn't dare. Instead he asked, "So, how is everyone?"  
"They're all fine. Expect visits from Haru and Daisuke."  
"Wow," Jinpachi mused. "Those are two names I haven't heard in quite a while. Haru...Wasn't Haru working as an assistant to an illustrator or something?"  
"He was, but now he's got his own assistants." Rin suppressed a yawn. After all these years, Rin had expected some sort of confrontation with Jinpachi. At the very least, he'd expected a hint of a challenge to his relationship with Alice, or even a hint of bitterness and resentment. Five years ago, before Jinpachi left Japan, he'd tried once more to convince Alice that he was the one that deserved her. It had taken Rin by surprise that Jinpachi would try such a thing after he'd long given up on Alice, and it had dawned on Rin that Jinpachi had never really given up. Neither Jinpachi nor Alice was aware that Rin knew about Jin's advances toward Alice. He suspected that it had not been the only time it had occurred since Jinpachi had openly given up on Alice four years before.  
"His own assistants, pretty impressive. I wonder how he must be doing," Jinpachi said as he stared out the window and watched the city roll by.  
(_Alice..._)  
Rin shot a glance at Jinpachi. _Did I hear right?_ The name had been a bare whisper in his mind--so faint--as if carried by the wind.  
"He's doing great. So is Daisuke. He works as a translator for a publishing company and even does translating for international conferences for some of the top corporations." Rin glanced at Jinpachi once more. _Maybe it was just my imagination_.  
"Yeah, I remember Alice writing me about that last year."  
(_Alice..._)  
"Is that so?" Rin slammed on the gas and cut his way into the right lane.  
"It must be great to have that kind of position. He probably couldn't want for anything more." (_I want..._)  
"What makes you say that?"  
"Dunno," Jinpachi answered. "Maybe I'm a little bit jealous."  
(_I want to see you..._)  
"I thought you liked your job-living in France."  
"Well, some things just aren't enough. I have money, a job that was practically handed down to me by my father's associate, and a girlfriend who loves me, but some times I get this feeling inside like I'm missing something...that I want so much more."  
(_Alice..._)  
Rin laughed, "I guess you really haven't changed."  
"Huh?" Jinpachi turned to face the younger man.  
"You're still reaching for the moon," Rin said, never taking his eyes off the road. His hands gripped the steering wheel tightly.  
"Guess I am." Jinpachi began to feel uneasy about this conversation just as he'd sensed a change in Rin's mood. "Mind if I turn on the radio?"  
"Sure, be my guest."  
Rin spied Jinpachi one last look as he flipped through the radio stations.  
_Reach all you want, Jin._  
_You'll never have her._  


Rin dropped Jinpachi off at the Ogura house and was now on his way home. It was still mid-afternoon but Jinpachi would not be making any house calls to the rest of the gang until tomorrow after a good night's sleep. It was Friday and Rin didn't have much else to do. He was already ahead in his studies and wasn't working on any new video game programs since his last successful venture, and piano practice could certainly wait until tomorrow. Seeing that he still had Issei's car until tomorrow morning, he decided he'd go over to Alice's apartment.  
One year ago the Sakaguchi's had decided to leave Tokyo. Alice's father had been transferred to another company branch, and while her mother and father moved, Alice and her brother decided to stay and rent a place together. At twenty-six, Alice had her own life now. Off and on she worked for a plant and wild life conservation group near the outskirts of Tokyo and was also a lead vocalist for the Tokyo Choir. Rin rarely missed a performance, although Alice was not aware of this fact. When Alice was a member of Tokyo University's Shirobarakai Choir, Rin had made a habit of helping her practice. He'd play the piano while she sang.  
_I always get lost in your song._  
Rin stood just outside of Alice's apartment. He lightly tapped the door with his knuckles and waited for a response but only silence ensued. He was about to knock again when he caught himself. Instead he hovered his hand over the doorknob and willed it to open. Except for occasions like these, Rin hardly used his powers anymore. It wasn't because he was troubled by the ethical implications of misusing his powers or exerting an unfair advantage over others. More simply, Rin had found there to be no real need to use them so much anymore.  
Rin willed the door wide open and he crept in. Once inside, he willed the door closed behind him. The apartment was quiet and for a moment he thought that perhaps no one was home. _I'm certain she said that she would be home today_.  
He quietly made his way down the hallway, past Hajime's room and the bathroom, then came to the last door which was wide open. He stepped inside and stopped as soon as he saw Alice peacefully napping in her bed. She lay on her side with her knees bent and her arms clutching onto a pillow. Rin was surprised to see that Alice was still in her pajamas; pink pant bottoms and long sleeved top with teddy bear print. He would often tease her by telling her that she seemed more like an elementary student that a grown woman of twenty-six. What he never told her was that he thought she actually looked adorable in her pajamas.  
Rin made his way to her bed, never taking his eyes off her. Standing over her, Rin gently reached down and caressed her hair, entwining strands of her hair around his fingers. He dropped to his knees and leaned closer to her sleeping frame, until he was close enough to feel her warm breath caress his cheeks.  
_Alice..._  
He traced a finger across her forehead, simultaneously brushing aside the strands that covered her eyes. Cupping his hand, Rin caressed her cheek and leaned closer to her face until his lips came in contact with her forehead. The kiss was very faint, as his lips had just barely grazed her. He slowly pulled away and continued to trace her facial features with his fingertips. He was surprised that he hadn't roused her from sleep yet. Feeling brave, Rin gently brushed her bottom lip with this thumb, and then slowly he leaned forward once again, closing his eyes and tentatively brushed his lips against her own. The warmth of Alice's breath against his lips was intoxicating. Rin began to apply pressure to the stolen kiss as Alice began to slowly wake.  
Alice opened her eyes wide in shock and sat up on the bed as Rin got to his feet.  
"R--?!" Before she managed to speak, Rin pulled her up in a tight embrace and kissed her. Alice was surprised by Rin's boldness and quickly felt herself relax in his arms as she allowed him to kiss her. Then, gently she pulled away.  
"Please, stop." She said softly as she pressed her hand against his lips. Rin released her and Alice climbed off her bed. Her face was flushed.  
"Alice--" Rin began.  
"I--I need to change, Rin-kun. Could you please wait in the living room?  
He nodded and headed out the room as Alice closed the door behind him.  


_He's getting so physical_, Alice thought to herself as she dressed. Day by day, Rin was becoming more intense. The situation was making her uneasy. Rin had begun to make habit out of touching her. He would often touch her face and caress her hands and would even play with her hair and embrace her unexpectedly. It would only be a matter of time before he would press the issue.  
_I know he wants to be with me and that scares me_.  
(_But you are engaged to him..._)  
_I know, but..._  
(_You do not love him?_)  
_No, I..._  
Alice couldn't understand her feelings. Rin was special to her, she knew that. But their changing relationship was something that she found difficult to accept. Still, she couldn't deny the effect that his kiss had on her, the effect that _he_ had on her.  
Alice finished dressing and headed out her room to greet Rin in the living room.  
_Rin, what am I going to do with you?_  


**Message from the Writer:** Hi there, thank you for reading my story. I would appreciate some feedback. Am I going to slow? Is it too boring? Should I quit writing it?

**One more note:** Sorry for jumping around from one story strand to another. Gomen Nasai! 

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1. When the past comes home2. Issei and Sakura [Part 1]3. The Girl of My Dreams4. Issei and Sakura [Part 2]5. Driving and Kissing6. Sisters and Brothers7. Issei and Sakura [Part 3]


	4. Issei and Sakura Part 2

**Pieces of September**  
Issei and Sakura: Into the past [Part 2]

**Timeline:** University Years - April - Senior Year  
[About 4 Years Ago]

The ticking of the clock was a distraction. After two hours of testing only fifty-five minutes remained; a fact that further agitated Sakura. The fact that the clock was snipping at her nerves every second didn't help much either. _Okay Sakura, concentrate. You have one more essay question._ But as she read and reread the question, Sakura realized that she was only drawing a blank.  
_Come on, Shusuran. Give me some of that brainpower._  
(tick, tick, tick...)  
_Aghhh!_  
Sakura was now wishing she'd paid more attention to the study materials. Day after day she'd studied with Issei, but Sakura hadn't been interested in study. Simply being with Issei had been enough for her, but now, at this critical moment she could really kick herself for thinking that way.  
_Dammit!_ Sakura slammed her pencil onto the desk in frustration, causing many startled students to glance her way. The professor set down his book to briefly glare at her before returning to it, and Sakura could do nothing more than shrink into her chair. She glanced up at the clock one more; only two minutes had passed. Sakura sighed quietly.  
She briefly glanced out the window then did a double take when she realized that Issei was standing outside near the steps. _Is he waiting for me?_ Sakura wondered. Last night they had agreed to meet after her exam to have lunch together. However, Sakura had not expected him to come meet her so early. She wanted to wave at him but she wasn't sure he saw her.  
_How is it that I get so excited when he's around? It's almost embarrassing._  
Sakura was unable to suppress her smile, just as she was unable to stop the intensity of her pulse. Just then, Issei turned his head toward the classroom and smiled. _Does he see me?_ Sakura tentatively waved as her smile broadened. However, all that quickly changed as she realized that another figure was walking toward him. He had not smiled at her--Issei hadn't even noticed her. Sakura slowly brought her hand down feeling utterly foolish but grateful that no one had noticed. Then her heart dropped as she realized that the figure that Issei was smiling at was none other than Jinpachi Ogura. Her eyes remained unmoved as she watched the two exchange words and walk away together. It was only when the two turned a corner and disappeared from sight that Sakura turned her eyes back to her exam. Her vision grew clouded and it took her a moment to realize that her eyes were watered with tears. She fought them back and was surprised by the intensity of her emotions.  
_This isn't the time for this,_ she told herself. _Let it go._  
As she resigned herself to focus on her exam, the answer of the final essay question came to her. Sakura commenced writing. Forty-five minutes were remaining on the clock.

Issei stood near the steps of the business building. He had only been waiting about two minutes when Jinpachi arrived. Their meeting had been something out of the blue. Jinpachi had called him earlier that morning asking if they could have lunch together and talk. He'd said he had something important to tell him, and Issei could only wonder what it was.  
Issei smiled as Jinpachi approached.  
"Wait long?" Jinpachi asked when he got within three yards of his friend.  
"Nah, I just got here."  
"Good. My exam took a bit longer than I'd figured. I was afraid you'd get tired of waiting."  
"No big deal." Issei replied. "So there's something you wanted to talk to me about?"  
"Yeah, but lets order lunch first." 

"You're kidding!" Issei exclaimed as they took their seats at a booth inside the Mc Donald's of the Student Union and set down their trays.  
"No, no I'm not." Jinpachi said, unable to contain his laughter. "Poor Daisuke never saw it coming. You know what a dorky he can be. Just get him started up on a subject and it's impossible to shut him up."  
"But to kiss him?"  
"Well, I guess the guy thought that Daisuke was trying to pick up on him. You should've seen the stunned look on his face: simply priceless. And after we left the party, he did not open his mouth once."  
"Daisuke speechless? That's hard to imagine." Issei laughed as he imagined his friend too shocked to speak.  
"That's not the best part."  
"There's more?" Issei asked as he wiped his tears.  
"Don't tell anyone, but..." Jinpachi dropped his voice to a whisper. "I think that was his first kiss."  
A moment passed as Issei let the words sink in, then he burst into uncontrollable laughter. "It's so sad. It's so funny, but it so sad."  
"I know," Jin said. "He won't be getting over that for some time."  
Issei realized that the conversation they were having was an ironic one. Just four years before he had been the one who had dared to kiss another guy. Although that guy was Jinpachi, the unease of that situation seemed to have faded into history. Jin didn't seem the slightest bit phased as he joked about something that was so close to home. To Issei it was a sign that they truly had moved beyond it.  
"But that's not the reason I wanted to meet up with you today." Jinpachi said. The tone of his voice had changed to a more somber one. Issei's laughter quickly subsided and he gave Jinpachi his full attention.  
"What's the matter? You're so serious now."  
"The others don't know yet." Jinpachi said as he unwrapped his hamburger. "I wanted to tell you first since we've known each other the longest." Jin took a bite of his burger and chewed in silence.  
Issei frowned. "Tell me what?"  
Jin swallowed and took a sip of his coke.  
"You know, ever since we finished high school we've all sort of drifted in different directions. We'll still get together now and then, but we're not as we used to be. And now with graduation coming up we're all bound to drift even further..."  
Issei nodded but his brows were knotted in confusion.  
"Jinpachi, what are you getting at?"  
There was a long pause. Jinpachi cast his eyes downward and stared intensely at the burger in his hands.  
"Jin?" The silence was making Issei uneasy.  
"After graduation..." Jinpachi began slowly. "After graduation I'll be moving to France."  
Issei's eyes widened, stunned by the revelation.  
"What?"  
"I'll be moving to France. My father's friend got me a position in his company. The European branch headquarters. It's really a great offer, not one that I can easily turn down, so I figured why not? There's really nothing to hold me back now."  
"What are you talking about?" Issei voiced. He used his hands as he spoke, feeling the agitation rise up his throat.  
"I've really thought this through, Issei. Mr. Mikagi gave me three months to think it over; I gave him my answer last week."  
"You've known all this time and you just bring it up now?!" Issei's arm knocked over his of soda. Issei turned to the mess he made on and stared as the cup rolled across the floor and stopped against the wall.  
Issei didn't want to look up anymore. His anger and hurt were clearly visible on his face now. He knew if he looked up at Jinpachi, he would break down in tears and the last thing he needed was for a new awkwardness to develop a new wall between them.  
"Look, Issei--"  
"Sakura!" Issei suddenly exclaimed.  
"Wha--"  
"Sakura. I was supposed to meet her half an hour ago," Issei uttered, partly to himself.  
Without looking up at Jinpachi, Issei bolted out of the booth and ran.  
"Issei wait." Jinpachi called out to him, but Issei was already making his way out the door.  


Issei wiped his tears away as he ran. Once he left the student union, his eyes had become wet with tears.  
_"After graduation I'll be moving to France."_  
_Damn you, Jin._  
"No," he uttered to himself. "I am not hurt."  
Issei sprinted faster. The business building was on the other side of campus, but he was hopeful that Sakura was still there waiting for him.  
_Sakura, I'm so sorry._  
He slowed as he arrived at the stairs of the agreed meeting place, his face was red and his lungs were struggling for air.  
"Sakura," he shouted.  
"Sakura!"  
Issei ran into the building and searched the hallways, but Sakura was nowhere in sight. He went out and took a seat at the steps and clasped his head in his hands.  
"Damn it! Damn it!" He muttered to himself.  
_I really am a jerk._

Sakura didn't have to wait too long before she realized that she'd been stood up. It hadn't been much of a surprise, really. Jinpachi always came first to Issei. Even long after Issei had openly given up on Jinpachi; Sakura knew that nothing had really changed. Issei still harbored strong feelings for Jinpachi and she knew that she would never matter to Issei in any other terms than friends. Just as she thought that maybe there was hope, Issei shoved her aside to make room for Jin.  
"Issei," she whispered to herself. "You son-of-a bitch."  
Sakura picked up her book bag and slowly descended the steps.  



	5. Driving and Kissing

**Message from the author:** Hi there, I know it's been a while. I'm not really too sure about this chapter, but it's really hard to find inspiration when you're recovering from a car accident. At least I'm doing a lot better than I was three weeks ago. Anywaz, the next chapter will be out soon. And if you know the pattern by now, then you'd know that it's gonna be another Issei/Sakura episode. Enjoy!

**Pieces of September**  
Driving and Kissing 

**Timeline:** The Present - August -

Rin carelessly flipped through the channels on Alice's TV set as he waited for her to finish getting dressed. _Now that went badly_, he thought to himself as he replayed the last few minutes in his head. Kissing her...touching her...even though she'd been asleep and completely unaware of what he was doing. Rin knew that a darker self still existed deep down inside himself, a self that wanted to do far more than kiss her, a self that wished only to hurt and destroy, to reciprocate the pain, hate, and suffering he had received. Perhaps it was that buried part of him that moved Rin to kiss Alice without her consent, but there had been no malice in that kiss... Sakura and Issei would probably tell him that he had been very wrong to do that, to force something to happen between him and Alice. Still...he had enjoyed kissing her and holding her close. He felt no shame or remorse over his actions. _I just wish...I wish she..._  
"Rin-kun."  
Rin looked up, surprised to find Alice standing beside him.  
"Would you like something to drink?" Alice asked.  
Rin nodded.  
"Let me see what I have," said Alice as she walked into the kitchen. Rin stood up and followed her.  
"Well, I have water, grape juice, um...There's Coke, and uh...mango juice," Alice said as she searched through her refrigerator.  
"I'll just have a water," Rin replied as he lean against the counter. Alice nodded.  
"So how did it go with Jinpachi?" Alice asked as she reached into the cupboard for a glass.  
"Well, I picked him up and dropped him off. Nothing terribly exciting."  
"Oh, come on, Rin."  
"Oh, you know." Rin shrugged. "We talked a bit about everyone and what they've been up to. Traffic was hell and then we didn't seem to have much else to talk about."  
"And?" Alice urged.  
"And?" Rin mimicked.  
"Did he seem excited to be back? Did you two get along for once?" she pressed.  
Rin pondered for a moment.  
"He seemed kinda jetlagged."  
"Rin," Alice said in exasperation.  
"Okay, okay. He was kinda tired but I think he is glad to be back. Mostly, I think he's just looking forward to seeing you and everyone else."  
"He is?" Alice poured water into the glass and handed to Rin.  
Rin stared intensely at the clear water.  
"He hasn't changed all that much," Rin stated flatly.  
"Well, he's never been able to accept change so easily," Alice said nervously as she turned her back to him and placed the water container back into the refrigerator. Rin's tone of voice was taking a dangerous turn. When Alice closed the door and turned to face Rin once again she saw that he hadn't taken a drink of his water yet. Instead, his head was turned away with his eyes downcast.  
"You know, you're much like Jinpachi."  
Alice felt uneasy by this new shift in conversation.  
"What do you mean?" She asked cautiously.  
"You also don't take to change so easily."  
Alice looked away.  
"Rin, don't."  
Rin turned his head to face her.  
"Don't what?"  
"This. What you're doing right now." Alice stepped out to the living room. Rin took a drink of his water and followed. _It seems I'm always following you, Alice._ Rin admired the subtle sway of her hips as she walked, and her gentle grace; he had become accustomed to watching her back. _And you're always walking away from me._  
"So what do you wanna do?" Rin asked. Alice seated herself onto the couch and took the remote in her hand.  
"I don't know. I'm happy just staying in." Rin plopped himself beside her so close that their bodies were nearly touching. Alice scooted away to force a bit more space between them. Rin only responded by resting his hand between them on the couch, his pinky barely brushing her thigh.  
"We should go out. I still have Issei's car. Maybe we could go see a movie or something. We could even stick to driving around if you like."  
"I don't know," Alice hesitated. "Where could we go?"  
"Anywhere we'd like. Oh come on, Alice. We haven't gone out in a while. We're always so busy. We don't even get to see each other so much anymore. Why not take advantage?"  
Alice knew Rin had a point. Between her choir rehearsals and working at the conservation and Rin's own freelancing in stocks and video game programming, and not to mention school, they didn't have as much time together.  
"Well...Okay." Alice finally answered. "But where should we go?"  
Rin excitedly jumped to his feet and simultaneously pulled Alice up with him.  
"Rin!"  
"I know just the place!" Rin exclaimed as he pulled Alice against him and rested his hand on her hip. Alice planted her arms up against Rin's chest to keep him from getting too close.  
"A friend told me about it. It's supposed to be really pretty, especially before sunset. You're gonna love it." Rin's face was only inches from away from hers. The closeness of their bodies, of his lips to hers only served to remind Alice of the kiss they had shared just moments ago.  
Just as she was about to pull away, Rin exclaimed, "Come on. Lets go." And with that he took her by the hand and dragged her out of the apartment without a second thought. The front door remained wide open.  
"Rin! Wait!" Alice pulled away. "I have to get my keys." 

The car hummed softly as they sped through the freeway. After a half hour of congestion, the freeway had become clear before them, and Alice began to get the feeling that they weren't in Tokyo anymore. Alice turned off the air conditioner and rolled down the window. The sun was no longer the oven it had been earlier that afternoon. The sky was now overcast from the approaching storm. As evening neared, the warm breeze grew cooler, and by nightfall it was sure to feel like wind rolling off an ice lake.  
"Where is this place we're going to?" Alice asked. They had been driving in silence for the past ten minutes and Alice was growing impatient.  
"I told you. It's a surprise."  
Alice stared out the window.  
"It's not far from here is it? It looks like it might rain and I don't think it's such a good idea to take long trips in that kind of weather."  
"Then I'll make the rain stop." Rin answered casually.  
Alice took notice of the trees, the way the long branches fought against the increasing velocity of the wind.  
"Even you can't make it stop."  
Rin smiled but didn't provide any answer to her remark.  
"You worry too much. Besides, we're already here." It was then that Alice realized that they were exiting the freeway into a small country road. No towering buildings or houses were visible among the green mountains. It seemed to be the opposite of Tokyo, and for Alice it was reminiscent of Hokkaido. Rin pulled off the road and parked on the green. Alice climbed out of the car and walked further out; she walked to the edge of the hill and took in view of the valley below. She felt her breath leave her as she was struck by the sheer picturesque quality of the scenery. The drop down into the valley was a sharp one, although no more than three stories steep. A stream ran across the lush green, lined by boulders, some of them as high as fifteen feet, which were spread out in clusters for miles.  
The small valley was decorated with the bright cheerful colors of lavender, yellow and blue found in fukujyusou , kusa-botan, chisima-furo and other wild flowers that sprung from the tall grasses.  
"Rin, it's..."  
"Beautiful, isn't it?" Rin said as he came up behind her within arms' length.  
"...it's so beautiful..." Alice said, barely above a whisper.  
"I realize that there are so many places like this in Japan. But still, there's something about this place that seems so…so untouched. Kinda makes you feel like people don't exist in the world…" Rin touched Alice's shoulder, but realized that she hadn't heard him.  
"Hmm?"  
Rin smiled. "It's nothing."  
_I knew she'd love it._  
"Oh, Rin. Look." Alice said as she took hold of the hand Rin had placed on her shoulder into both her hands. Rin was only too aware of the smoothness of her flesh and the warmth of her fingers.  
"What?"  
"It's the chisima-furo. I haven't seen them in a long time since they're mostly native to Hokkaido. Gosh, I can't believe they're still in bloom."  
"It's like a small miracle, then." Rin said as he looked down at his hand locked in hers. She gave him a gentle squeeze as she looked up at him.  
"How did you find out about this place?"  
There was something about the way Alice looked up at him, her eyes joyful and excited, and her expression soft and sensual, that stirred Rin. His hand felt hot and his face also grew heated. Urges rushed through him, pressing him to take Alice onto the grass and kiss her breathless, exciting him beyond reason. However, Rin was the epitome of control, formed from habit and repressed desire for the unresponsive Miss Alice Sakaguchi.  
"I told you," Rin replied. "A friend showed it to me."  
"A friend?" She asked.  
"Ayumi."  
As soon as the name had found form on Rin's lips, Alice let go of Rin's hand. The brief moment of intimacy that had developed between them had vanished as quickly and unexpectedly as the moment had arrived.  
"Ayumi Ayanokouji?"  
"Yeah."  
"I see." Long ago when Rin was still a boy of eight years, Ayumi had confessed her love for him. It had only been childhood love for her and she had been quick to move her affections onto Jinpachi when Rin had turned her down, but it was the fact that Ayumi had been Rin's close friend since grade school, that troubled Alice the most. Perhaps troubled was too strong of a word, however their long-standing friendship was something that Alice could never take lightly.  
The rain that Rin said he would stop finally came. It poured down gently and was barely noticeable at first. Rin extended his hand upward testing the skies for rain.  
"Looks like it started raining." He said as he shook off the moisture from his hand.  
"I guess we should leave." Alice said without much emotion.  
"You sure you don't want to stay a little longer? I mean, we just got here. It'd be a waste, really."  
Alice shook her head.  
"I think we should go."  
"Oh, come on, Alice."  
"I don't see how we can stay. Just look at us. We're getting all wet."  
"Oh, this?" Rin ran his hand over his wet hair, smoothing the water beads out. "I told you that this isn't a problem."  
"But Rin, you're hair's all wet and mine is too." Just as Alice smoothed the water out of her own hair, Rin raised his hand and pressed his palm upward. A ball of light formed in his hand then flashed over them and vanished. Alice looked up. The rain was still pouring down, now much harder than before however the water was not touching them. Rin had created a sort of transparent shield over them. As she lowered her gaze, Alice realized that the shield only extended above them a few feet. She took a few steps near the shield's end and extended her hand beyond its protection and was amazed as only her hand got wet.  
_It still surprises me when he does things like that_, she thought.  
"Is that better?" Rin inquired.  
Alice turned to him and nodded.  
"I still think we should go. The storm's supposed to get pretty bad and we really shouldn't be out in weather like this."  
Rin pulled out a white handkerchief from his pocket began to dry out the water from Alice's hair.  
"I guess so." Rin replied. "But I do wish you could have enjoyed it for a little bit longer."  
Alice took the handkerchief from Rin as she pushed his hand.  
"It's okay. You can tell Ayumi that I think this spot is beautiful." Alice pressed the handkerchief into Rin's hand and walked out from under the shield and back toward the car. Rin looked down at the wet rag then up at Alice as she walked without hurry in the rain. He jammed it into his pants pocket and dashed over to the car.  



	6. Sisters and Brothers

**Pieces of September:**  
Sisters and Brothers

**Timeline:** The Present - August -

Rays of morning sunlight peered into Rin's room from the corners of the blinds. Rin lay on his bed contemplating his evening with Alice as he gazed at a picture in his hand of Alice and himself taken about four or five years ago. In the photograph, Rin had his arms wrapped around Alice's shoulders from behind as she smiled under her furious blush. He could still remember that day; it had been during a joint trip to the Amagi-Yugashima hot springs that their families had taken together.  
The trip had really been more for their parents than for the whole family, but nevertheless, Rin, Alice and Hajime were dragged along. In an attempt to ward off their boredom, the three had set off to explore the grounds while their parents enjoyed the hot springs. The picture was supposed to be a solo of Alice standing in the foreground of Jouren Falls, but Rin came up behind Alice at the last moment, in time for Hajime to snap the picture.  
In those days Rin had already far surpassed Alice in height; he even towered over Hajime, who'd never been very tall to begin with. Ayumi used to poke fun at him during P.E. whenever boys and girls activities overlapped. "You're like a giraffe!" She would exclaim in fits of laughter. Certainly Rin was tall, but he was also very thin. It certainly didn't help that his gym clothes only served to accentuate this fact. A friend even went so far as to say that he looked like Ichabod Crane, a character from the Headless Horseman fable. But that friend later ate his words when Rin threatened to kick his ass.  
Despite the teasing he received from Jinpachi and the others, Alice never once said anything insulting about his height. On one occasion she had smile warmly at him and with a hint of embarrassment, she had told him just how tall and handsome he was becoming. In those days Alice was far easier to talk to. He would talk to her for hours, discussing his future plans and what their life together would be like. Rin would become excited as he talked to her, like the child that he still was. However, somewhere along the way as he became less of a child and more of a man, Alice also began to change toward him. She became colder and distant and she would get uneasy and agitated whenever he would bring up conversation about their future together.  
Her rejection had not been an easy thing for him to take. On more than one occasion, Rin had questioned her about it and pressed her for answers, but her response was always evasive.  
_ "Is there something wrong, Alice?"  
"What do you mean?"  
"I mean with us. You don't smile much anymore. And I hardly get to see you. Are you avoiding me?"  
"I've just been busy, Rin-kun. And so have you. Naturally some things change."  
"But why must you avoid me?"  
"I'm not avoiding you. I'm just b-"  
"Busy. Yeah, I know. You said that already."  
  
_ Alice awoke in a tangle of bed sheets and her comforter. She pushed off the blankets and kicked them down to her feet. It was a warm morning and her blankets made her feel like she was encased in an oven. Alice stretched out her arms and legs like a cat before sitting up on her bed.  
_ Last night…  
_ Alice rose from her bed and walked to the window. Sunbeams crept in from all corners of the closed curtains, begging to be let in. She tied them and opened the window. It certainly was a bright sunny day. The warm glow of the morning made last night's storm seem unreal.  
_ Rin-kun…I think I upset him.  
_ Not many words had been spoken between them on their drive back to Alice's apartment. It had taken them nearly twice as much time to drive back in congested traffic as the storm raged on.  
A low grumble emitted from Alice's stomach.  
_ I guess I better go eat.  
_ "Morning, Moku-chan." Hajime greeted as Alice entered the kitchen.  
"Huh?"  
"Your forehead." Hajime said as he touched his own.  
Alice pressed her fingers against the center of her forehead. She couldn't feel them, but she knew the markings were there. She stepped into the hallway bathroom and clicked on the light. Alice brushed her bangs aside, and sure enough four little dots stared back at her in her reflection.  
_ Mokuren…Shion…they must be somewhere near in the atmosphere.  
_ Alice walked into the kitchen and took a seat at the table.  
"Coffee?" Hajime asked.  
Alice nodded.  
"You slept in late today. It's already ten. I thought you were a morning person." Hajime said as he poured coffee into a mug.  
"I guess I'm just tired," Alice replied as she took a croissant from a platter centered on the table.  
"But didn't you sleep in most of yesterday?" Hajime mixed sugar into the coffees.  
"Yes." Alice broke off a piece of her croissant and nibbled on it.  
Hajime picked up both mugs of coffee and carried them to the table.  
"Well, while you were still sleeping, Sakura called." He set down the drinks and took his seat across from Alice.  
"She called? When?"  
"Around eight. She wanted to meet up with you for breakfast, but I told her you were still sleeping. Don't worry, though. I told her that you had a rough day yesterday, and that you really needed your sleep. I don't think she took any offense."  
"Oh, I see. Thank you."  
Hajime grabbed a croissant and took a big bite.  
"She said to call her back though," he said with his mouth full. "She made it sound like she wanted to talk to you about something important."  
"Okay."  
To have called so early in the morning, Alice knew that whatever Sakura had to say had to be big news. The last time Sakura called so early, she had invited Alice to breakfast and announced her engagement before the pancakes had arrived.  
"So where did you and my future brother-in-law go yesterday?" Hajime asked. He blew on his coffee and took small cautious sips.  
"Please don't say things like that."  
Hajime nodded and looked thoughtfully at Alice as she finished her croissant and drank her coffee. Alice could feel her brother's eyes on her, his brows contorted in question.  
"Yes, Hajime?"  
"What is it with you and Rin anyway?" He said as he set down his mug.  
"What do you mean?"  
"Do you actually intend to marry him?" Alice's eyes widened in surprise, she hadn't expected such a forward question, especially so early in the day.  
"I don't…." she paused for five long seconds, struggling with her words and uncertain of herself. "I don't know."  
She looked down to avoid her brother's intense eyes.  
Her brother nodded. "I see."  
"You see what, Hajime?" She asked without looking up.  
"He's worried about you, you know. I think he's scared he'll lose you."  
Alice looked up in surprise.  
"Why do you say that?"  
"He's been asking me about you…about how you feel about him, if maybe you resent him or feel he's holding you back."  
Alice felt dumbstruck. _Rin. Rin…he feels that way?  
_ "He really said all that?"  
"Not really, but it was all there in the way he talked about you."  
"But he didn't actually--"  
"Oh come on, Alice," Hajime cut in. "It not hard to see. Look at the way you are with him. Of course he's gonna be concerned."  
"But he's still just a kid!" Alice shot back in her defense.  
Hajime shook his head.  
"Come on. Deep down, we know that's not true." Hajime paused. He had to select his next words with caution. "Look Alice, you are my sister and I'm only trying to look for you, so please listen to what I have to say."  
"I'm listening."  
He licked his dry lips and cleared his throat.  
"Rin is absolutely serious about you. To him, you are his girlfriend, and pretty soon he is certain to press you into marriage. This is a fact; there is no doubt to this. The question is, whether or not you are willing to go through with it. 'Cause if you still feel iffy about Rin, and you don't return his feeling, then you've gotta tell him, 'cause this isn't just gonna go away."  
Alice smiled, "Hajime, when did you turn into my big brother?"  
The younger Sakaguchi gave a hearty laugh. "You just realized this now? Don't you know that I'm always watching out for you? So forgive me if I get pushy sometimes."  
Alice nodded. "Okay. And about Rin…"  
"Yeah?"  
"I'll think about it."  
  
"Onichan! Onichan!" Five-year-old Yuki came busting through Rin's door, flinging the door wide open. She ran to the blinds and yanked them open. The sheer shock of the bright sunlight that emitted through the window blinded Rin's eyes.  
"Onichan is a sleep monster!" Yuki declared. "Die! Sleep monster, die!" She demanded in her battle cry. She shrieked loudly as she ran and lunged her small bony frame onto Rin, who still lay on his bed. Rin felt her sharp elbows dig into his ribs; the impact of her body nearly knocked the wind out of him.  
"Yuki!" Rin shouted as he tried to pry off his little sister as she did a very good job of clinging onto his head. "Yuki!"  
The five-year-old grabbed two fists of hair and pulled hard, using all the weight of her body.  
"Aagghh! Geez! Yuki! Stop that, it hurts."  
Yuki let go and sat on her brother's legs. She smiled broadly as she faced him.  
"Ugh! You little brat!" Rin muttered playfully as he tugged at both of her braids.  
"Ouwie!"  
"Well, that's what you get." He rubbed his scalp. "Geez, I think you pulled out some of my hair."  
Yuki smirked and giggled.  
Rin glared back at her.  
"Youuu!" He lunged for her and tickled her until she was mad with laughter.  
"Please, please!" Yuki managed between fits of laughter. "I'm sorry."  
Rin let her go and jumped out of bed.  
"Okay, but no more funny stuff."  
She nodded.  
"Is big sister coming over today?" Yuki inquired.  
Rin pulled a pair of jeans over his boxers.  
"No. Not today, Yuki. Alice and I are going to meet with old friends today, so there won't be any piano lessons either."  
"Yeay!" Yuki shot a fist up into the air. "No lessons today!"  
"You don't have to sound so happy about it."  
"It's just we practice everyday, Onichan. But…" She said, her eyes showing a hint of sadness. "I wish Alice came more to play."  
Rin took a seat next to his little sister on the bed and playfully grabbed her head. She was probably as bratty as he had been as a child, but he loved her to death. Although Rin had spent a great deal of time looking after her in the past five years, Yuki had never really been much of a bother to him.  
"I'll play with you," he said.  
Yuki pushed him away.  
"You're too meanie."  
Rin laughed. "Oh yeah?"  
"Yeah!"  
"Fine, then!" And with that Rin attacked her once more and tickled her until she was too exhausted to laugh anymore.  
  
It was still an hour until noon, but Jinpachi was dressed and ready to take on the world. He was well rested after sleeping for well over half a day. The exhaustion from his trip had definitely hit him hard. He'd barely uttered a few words of greetings to his parents before he dragged himself up the stairs and dropped onto his bed in his old room. He hadn't stirred once from sleep, and he had been surprised when his parents told him over breakfast that it had stormed heavily that night.  
_ I get to see you today._  
The realization hit him hard. In just a few hours he would be standing face to face with Alice Sakaguchi; the girl who had rejected him more times in his lifetime than he could count. _Well, in this one, anyway, _Jinpachi thought as he recalled his equally unsuccessful pursuit of Mokuren in another lifetime.  
_But I've got Angela now, waiting for me back in France._  
_Still…_  
_I want to see you…_  
Jinpachi stood before the body mirror and adjusted his collar and smoothed back any standing hairs with his hands.  
"Is there any hope for me, Alice?"  
Jinpachi sighed and sat himself on the edge of his bed. There was nothing left to do except wait for his ride to pick him up. 

**Author's Note:** Thank's for reading, y'all's. I love the feedback so please continue. The next chapter will be coming soon. It will be Another Issei and Sakura chapter but Alice and Rin will not be forgotton.

Like the story? Hate it? Or just wanna rant about your favorite characters? Feel free to leave feedback.

Phew! This is gonna be a long story....I hope I can hold out that long....  



	7. Issei and Sakura Part 3

**Author's note:** To end the confusion between the chapters centered on the past and those centered on the present, I have added a timeline at the begining of each chapter to help out the readers. However, please keep in mind that the chapters entitled Issei and Sakura always deal with the past. Thank you for your patience.

**Pieces of September**  
Issei and Sakura: Into the Past [Part III]

**Timeline:** University Years - April - Senior Year  
[About 4 Years Ago]

Sakura walked the halls of the University, her mind barely paying any notice to where she went; she only knew that she was moving. And to her that was far better than standing passively in rejection. More than anything, Sakura refused to play the part of the pathetically tragic girl who suffered in silence. She could never play that part; it simply was not in her nature. If anything, it was Issei who fit the part better than anyone ever would. She clenched her hand into a tight fist. _Why do I even care so much? This is so stupid…_  
A voice that rang in her ears like the smoothness of velvet on skin startled Sakura out of her line of thinking.  
_Is someone singing? _  
Sakura slowed her walk until she was standing still. She looked about and realized that she was near the music department.  
_Alice? _  
The song appeared to be coming from the auditorium.  
_Choir practice maybe?_  
Sakura walked across the lawn and quietly entered the intimidatingly tall building, making sure that she remained hidden in the shadows. The last thing she wanted to do was interrupt…_but still…a friend would be nice to have right now. _  
She entered quietly and took a seat in the back row of the auditorium, looking onward as Alice practiced on the stage with a young foreigner at the piano. Sakura closed her eyes and concentrated on the song in an attempt to shed all the anger that rested heavily on her shoulders. As soon as the song ended, Sakura clapped indiscreetly and whooped loudly.  
_Well, so much for not interrupting…_  
"Sakura?" Alice called out from the stage.  
"Hey, Alice." Sakura rose from her seat, grinning guiltily. "Sorry about that, I didn't mean to interrupt."  
"Oh, it's no trouble we were just finishing up," Alice replied as she descended the steps. Sakura walked down the auditorium to meet Alice partway.  
"Sakaguchi-san." The young foreigner called out.  
"Yes," she answered, turning to face in his direction.  
"I'll be leaving now, let's meet up tomorrow at the same time."  
Alice nodded. "Okay, I'll see you then, Toby-san."  
The boy smiled and picked up his books and left. Sakura grinned as she watched him go.  
"He's cute." She commented slyly.  
"He's only a freshman, Sakura."  
Sakura laughed.  
"Well, that shouldn't be a problem for you. Your boyfriend's only 12 years old."  
"He'll be 13 in less than two months."  
Sakura grinned slyly. _Alice sure has a way of putting things._  
"It's okay, Alice. You don't have to defend your boyfriend to me. I realize that he's mature for his age, I mean, even the high school girls are starting to notice him."  
"Rin-kun is not exactly my boyfriend," Alice answered.  
"He's not?"  
Alice didn't know how to reply. The truth was that the relationship between her and Rin was a delicate one. There were no simple answers.  
A door creaked and both girls turned to the entrance where a small group of students were entering the auditorium.  
"Looks like a drama club meeting," Alice observed. "Lets go backstage, there's a dressing room upstairs where we can talk."

"Hello, I'm Issei Nishikiori. Twenty-one years old and already the world's biggest asshole. Please to meet you." Issei extended his hand to his reflection in the full-length dressing mirror.  
"Oh this is so stupid," he said to himself as he grabbed his head in frustration. He looked up at his reflection once more and pressed his finger on his mirrored forehead.  
"Guilty," he proclaimed simply.  
Issei took a few steps back and threw himself onto his bed. He reached over to the surface of the small bed stand and grabbed the cordless phone.  
"She might not even be home yet." He stared at the phone for about a minute before finally setting it down on the bed.  
_I should just call her later._

_ "I'll be moving to France. My father's friend got me a position in his company. The European branch headquarters. It's really a great offer, not one that I can easily turn down, so I figured why not? There's really nothing to hold me back now."_  
_There's really nothing to hold me back now…_   
Jinpachi had not been completely honest to Issei. The job offer had certainly been very real and he had actually called back two weeks ago to accept it, but something was still holding him back. What Jinpachi had not told Issei was that he had never truly given up on his feelings for Alice. It had been something that he'd struggled and labored over for nearly five years. After Rin had been saved from himself following the events of the Tokyo Tower, Jinpachi had been so quick to give up on Alice without a spoken word. After all, it had seemed like the right thing to do at the time.  
_But that was then._  
His feelings had hardly changed since then. Jinpachi still loved her, and standing idly by was something that he could no longer bare to do. Taking the job offer was a push forward for him. However he wasn't completely prepared to leave yet; not until he confronted Alice and got an answer from her.  
_ It's too late to back out now; I've already made my decision, and Alice will determine the outcome._  


"Is something bothering you, Sakura?" Alice asked as soon as they got settled inside the dressing room. The room was cluttered with costumes and props, but somehow, the two had managed to find seating. Sakura picked up a mask from _Phantom of the Opera_ and shielded her face with it.  
"Why do you ask? Is it so obvious that I'm putting on a face?" Sakura removed the mask for dramatic effect.  
"Maybe," Alice replied. "I guess I just know you too well."  
"Hmm, that must be it then."  
"Well, aren't you going to tell me?"  
Sakura looked down at her hands. "I was just so angry. Then I heard you as I was passing by the auditorium and I figured, 'why not', so I came over to say 'hi'."  
Alice nodded. "What made you so upset?" She inquired, already suspecting what the answer would be.  
"Issei."  
"Oh."  
A brief silence befell them before Alice finally spoke.  
"Sakura?"  
"Hmm?"  
"Are you…are you and Issei…" Alice became flustered. _Would it be too forward of me to ask? _"Sakura, do you love Issei?"  
Sakura's eyes widened in shock. Her mouth suddenly felt very dry and her mind grew numb, unable to form a reply. Alice took notice of Sakura's sudden tension and felt ashamed to have asked such a forward question. _Why did I ask? It's not my place to ask such things. _  
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have--"  
"Oh, it's okay." Sakura cut in. "Do I love Issei? Sure, I like him. He's been one of my closest friends, going on two lifetimes now." She joked, smiling timidly.  
"Um, that's not what I meant."  
"I know. I was just taken back by that question. I didn't expect you to ask me that. I didn't ….I …Alice, are my feelings really so transparent?"  
"I wouldn't say that."  
"But I am aren't I?"  
Sakura rose from her seat and walked to the window where she looked out to the campus buildings. _Gosh, we must be five stories high._  
"It's kinda silly though," Sakura said as she continued to look outside the window. "Even though I have feelings for Issei, it doesn't really matter because he's never gotten over Jinpachi."  
"Have you told him how you feel?"  
"No." Sakura turned away from the window and faced Alice. "I couldn't do that. Not when there is no hope of him seeing me as anything other than a friend."  
Alice rose to her feet and walked over to her friend.  
"Are you certain of his feelings for you?" Alice asked as she rested her hand on Sakura's shoulder.  
"He never thinks of me." Sakura turn her head away. She hadn't expected to become so emotional over those spoken words. Tears had formed in her eyes and her heart grew heavy. _Please, I don't want anyone to see me this way. _  
"Sakura…" Alice let go of Sakura's shoulder and took her hand instead. _If only you could see the way he looks at you. It's not the way one friend looks at another friend._  
Sakura smiled and gave Alice's hand a gentle squeeze.  
"That's what's so annoying about you," Sakura joked. "You're always so darned nice."  
"Thank you…I think."  
Sakura turned her attention back to the window, which she easily pried open. She stuck her head out and breathed out a sign of relief. Somehow, with the gentle cool wind blowing in her face, she felt herself grow more at peace. The tears that had formed in her eyes were quickly dried away and some of the weight in her heart had been lifted.  
"I think I feel a little better now, though I'm still mad at him."  
"May I ask why you are so mad at Issei?" Alice came up beside Sakura and joined her as she overlooked the campus.  
"It's nothing new really. He just made it clear to me once more that I am only second best to him."  
"I can't imagine him saying something like that."  
"He didn't. But he made it clear when he stood me up to be with Jin."  
"Hmm." Alice had no response to give Sakura. She closed her eyes and leaned out the window. _I wonder,_ she thought._ Maybe Issei doesn't understand is own feelings for Sakura. But it's clear to me that he feels something for her._  
"Hey!"  
"Huh?" Alice opened her eyes and turned to face Sakura who was pointing to the ground outside below them.  
Alice turned her gaze toward the direction Sakura was pointing but saw nothing out of the ordinary.  
"I was certain I saw him," Sakura muttered.  
"Saw who?"  
"Well, it looked like Rin was down there, but I guess I'm just seeing things."  
"Oh." Alice smiled and leaned out the window once again. "Don't worry, it probably was him."  
"Huh?" Sakura was even more confused.  
"He does that a lot. Comes by, I mean." Alice informed her. "He likes to come by to watch my rehearsals, but he never shows himself. He thinks I don't know."  
"Oh, is that so?" Sakura brushed her hair away from her face and tucked it behind her ears. "He cares for you very much doesn't he?"  
Alice nodded and smiling she said, "He's a very sweet boy."  
"A sweet boy? Alice how do you feel about Rin?" Sakura had been wondering about those two for quite some time. Alice and Rin had always been close and in the past year a deeper intimacy seemed to have developed between them. They were always together nowadays. Rin had grown up very fast; his features were far more defined and he'd grown to be nearly as tall as Jinpachi. At his young age he could even be considered handsome. Rin had long outgrown the image of the next-door-neighbor-brat and was developing into a thoughtful and intelligent young man. Sakura was even impressed by his quick development into adulthood. However, to Sakura it seemed as if Rin's body was on a mission to skip adolescence and grow into the man that Alice needed him to be.  
"Rin-kun is very special to me. He's someone important to me." Alice wasn't quite sure if she was ready to discuss the finer points of her relationship with Rin. She wasn't even certain if she could even explain it to herself.  
"Do you love him?" _Strange,_ Sakura told herself._ Just a moment ago Alice was the one asking me these questions._  
"I love every moment I spend with him. And I always look forward to seeing him. But…I can't be quite sure if I do love him."  
"You know, you're not making much sense." Sakura pointed out.  
"I know. You're right."  
"You realize that he's in love with you, right?"  
"I realize that."  
"Then what gives? You two seem so chummy lately. But you still talk about him like he's this little eight-year-old boy."  
Alice nodded. "I guess when you see someone grow up right under your nose, it can be a little hard to accept that they are growing up."  
"You sure seem so calm about it. Poor Rin, he's so hopelessly in love with you, but you can't see him for more than a little brother. The kid's bound to end in heartache." Sakura said rather melodramatically, hoping not to sound too serious, but making sure she got her point across.  
Alice removed her hair tie and let her hair drop down over her shoulders and down her back.  
"We're engaged."  
"Huh?" Sakura's eyes bugged out in shock. "Engaged? When? I mean…engaged?"  
"It's been almost a year now. He told me that he wanted us to get married as soon as it was legally possible and I agreed."  
"Wow, and I thought my love life was strange."  
"You won't tell anyone, will you? It's sort of a secret. Except for Hajime, we weren't really planning on making any announcements until a year or so before we get married."  
Sakura felt utterly dumbstruck. _Is she really serious? She won't even say if she loves him or not._  
"You really plan to go through with this?"  
"Years ago, I was also engaged to Rin," Alice began with a far away look in her eyes.  
"I remember," Sakura recalled the shock when she first learned that Alice was engaged to an eight-year-old boy. "But wasn't that just pretend?"  
"I said I'd do it so that I wouldn't hurt Rin's feelings, but I also really meant it. I'd made a promise to him."  
"So where does that leave you now?"  
Alice pondered for a moment. Sakura still wasn't sure what to make of her friend's revelation and was nowhere near being able to decipher how she felt about it.  
"I think," Alice finally replied, "that you should tell Issei how you feel."  


**Author's note:** Well that took me a little longer to write than I'd expected. It didn't turn out quite the way I had originally planned. But it's okay; I don't like to force a character to say something when the occasion does not call for it, or if it feels that they are simply not ready to discuss certain things. 

Anywaz, this next chapter will take me a little more time to write since I want to make certain that the reunion is handled carefully. And to all my readers out there, thanks a bunch for your readership and support! 


	8. Again After All These Years

**Pieces of September**  
After All These Years

**Timeline: The Present - August -**

Jinpachi wandered aimlessly through the rose garden. Although he had little interest in plants and flowers, the sheer size of the garden and its grand population of roses impressed him. The garden's entrance was marked by an arched passage covered by vines and small purple flowers, and was walled in by tall well-trimmed bushes. Jinpachi came to the center of the garden where he encountered a small koi pond. He seated himself on one of the stone benches that surrounded the pond and stared at a koi fish with amusement as he imagined just how much time and energy Issei and Sakura spent maintaining this place.   
From what Issei had told him earlier, the careful maintenance of the garden had been a condition set by his grandmother. In exchange for the intricate care of the garden, she awarded Issei and Sakura with the house. Issei had been speechless at such a grand gift but he could not bring himself to accept it until his grandmother went into a little song and dance of "ungrateful grandchildren" and "a dying woman's last wish." Issei immediately said yes but later when he recalled his grandmother's hefty smack on the backside of his head, he knew she had many good years left in her before death would dare to come claim her.   
Jinpachi had met the old woman once before. That she had chosen to grant such a lavish gift to Issei had not been such a surprise to him. Of all her children and grandchildren, Issei alone was her favorite. He often came to visit her and keep her company. As a child he would help her cook and excitedly listen to her stories of her youth and the adventures of her childhood. As a young man Issei would cook for his grandmother and would converse with her as two old friends. Later, Sakura began to join their little get-togethers, long before she and Issei had become more than friends, and Issei's his grandmother had taken an instant liking to her.   
Jinpachi recalled one day in high school when he tagged along one of their visits. Issei's grandmother had taken one good look at him before turning to her grandson and flatly stating, _"I don't like him."_   
Issei had only turned to smile at him apologetically and Sakura's eyes had lit up with laughter.   
Grandmother Nishikiori had taken notice of Sakura's broad smile and cupped her cheeks in her rough withered hands. _"Oh Sakura, my precious girl."_ Sakura returned an affectionately warm smile at the old woman, and then eyed Jinpachi with a look of triumph.   
Jinpachi had responded with a simple roll of his eyes.   
After covering the young girl's cheek with kisses, the older woman took a step back and without missing a beat asked, _"So have you and my grandson become lovers yet? I look forward to having a great grandchild from you two someday."_   
Sakura's smile seemed to have frozen on her face as she grew bright red, while Issei had nearly choked from the shock. Jinpachi's eyes were wide in surprise.   
_"Obaachan!"_ Issei's face had become as red as Sakura's. Jinpachi laughed as he remembered the way those two had scrambled to explain that they were no more than friends. _But now…_   
Jinpachi glanced down at his watch. _Twelve-thirty-five?_ He'd only planned to wander outside for a few minutes while Issei and Sakura finished with the preparations for the get-together. But he ended up meandering for a good forty minutes. After Issei had picked him up he realized that the others would not be arriving until half past noon, but now after being the one to arrive more than an hour early, Jinpachi found himself running late.   
"Jinpachi, there you are! Issei told us you were hiding somewhere on the grounds." Haruhiko called out from the patio as he stood smiling at his friend.   
Jinpachi slowed his run to a jog as he approached the patio and took notice that Daisuke was also there, seated at the patio table.   
"Haru…Daisuke…how's it…been?" Jinpachi asked as he took a seat next to his old friends.   
"Calm down. Catch your breath, then we can chat." Daisuke said as he handed Jinpachi his glass of water.   
Jinpachi thanked him and took in the water in large gulps between his gasps for air.   
"Ah. I needed that." Jinpachi set down the glass as Haru took a seat.   
"It's so nice to see you guys again. When Rin told me to expect visits from you two, I figured you guys might stop by later in the week. I didn't know you were planning to stop by this little shindig."   
"Oh, but we couldn't wait to greet you," Haru replied. "Besides, there's an old saying: 'When moon-friends come in to town, drop everything.'"   
Jinpachi chuckled. "Haru, somehow I don't think that's an old saying."   
"I think being a manga illustrator has gotten to his head," Daisuke added.   
"That explains a lot." Jinpachi agreed. "So what's your new work about, Haru?"   
"About us."   
Jinpachi raised a startled brow. "Us? You mean about the moon?"   
Haru nodded.   
"Isn't that dangerous?"   
"Don't worry so much." Daisuke said as he padded Jinpachi on the back. "I was also a bit concerned at first, but considering that it's only a comic, there is really no harm."   
"I guess you're right," Jinpachi said. He felt himself instantly relax. "So what's it called?"   
"Moon Dreamers." Haru replied.   
_Moon Dreamers? For a creative guy, Haru sure picked a very unoriginal title,_ Jinpachi thought.   
"So I take it that we are all in the story?"   
"Yeah, but I took some creative license so there's a lot of changes to beef it up."   
"I take it that I play the part of the cool and suave heroic lead."   
Haru gave Jinpachi an incredulous look, uncertain if his friend was serious or simply humoring him.   
"Sorry, Jin. I said I took creative license, I didn't flat out lie." Haru teased.   
Daisuke shook his head. "With an ego like that, I'm sure he scares all the women away."   
"I'm sure," Haru agreed.   
"Hey watch it. I'm no pansy. I happen to have a girlfriend." Jinpachi retorted somewhat snobbishly.   
"Really? What's her name? Is she French?"   
"Her name is Angela Devers and yeah, she's French, but she can speak English and Japanese very well. Her father is one of the board members of the company I work for."   
"Sounds like it could be to your advantage." Daisuke commented.   
"I guess, but those kind of things don't interest me." Jinpachi answered. However he knew the truth in those words. Angela's father had hardly been subtle when he'd suggested that he could help Jinpachi climb up the company ladder. _"After all," Mr. Devers had told him. "I have to watch out for the interests of my little girl."_   
_No kidding,_ Jinpachi thought. _Move in with a girl, and suddenly you have to deal with her family._   
That was another thing. Jinpachi wasn't too sure that he wanted to disclose the fact that he and Angela lived together. _If Alice knew…_ He cast the thought aside. _No, it's not something they need to know._   
"Admit it. It's definitely in your favor," a voice intruded on the three friends' conversation. All heads turned up to see Rin emerge from the house. The tall and athletic young man grinned devilishly. "You're looking well rested today, Jinpachi."   
"Hey there, kiddo." Jinpachi acknowledged the young man with a thin smile.   
Rin narrowed his eyes at Jinpachi, his lips still turned up in a grin. _Trying to play the adult card, eh?_   
"Well, I see you and Daisuke and Haru have already started catching up with each other." Rin continued to eye Jinpachi. _So where do you stand, Jin? Are we gonna be rivals once again?_   
"Yep. It's just like old times." Jinpachi replied. 

When Sakura had opened the front door to greet Rin and Alice, she had noticed three things: One--Rin appeared to be very agitated, two--Alice's face was flushed and, three--her left earlobe was bright red. After some small conversation, Rin headed out the back to greet the others, while Sakura dragged Alice upstairs into the study that had once belonged to Issei's grandfather.   
Sakura pulled Alice down on the couch next to her.   
"So tell me what's going on?" Sakura prompted.   
Alice stared at her friend's face, her eyes still dazed and her features contorted in confusion.   
"Eh?"   
"Between you and Rin." Sakura press on as she raised her hand and gently brushed her fingers across Alice's reddened lobe. Alice quickly pulled away, shocked by the touch upon her still-sensitive ear.   
"I see." Sakura stated calmly. "So what happened?" 

_Alice walked briskly as she entered the small park. The abundant number of trees covered the park in one large shadow of shade, casting away all the heat. Alice crossed her arms over her chest as the cold breeze tickled her exposed skin. She glanced down at her watch, she still had plenty of time, but Rin always made a habit of arriving way too early. Alice didn't like him to wait for her for so long, but Rin didn't mind. He'd rather wait than have her wait for him.   
Last night she had agreed to meet him at the park so that they could walk to the train station from there together. Issei had picked up his car early in the morning to run errands so they had to take the train to his house, but it had been no inconvenience. The walk to the station was a short one and the trip the their house was only fifteen minutes by train.   
Alice crossed the wooden bridge over the small pond and walked toward the concrete picnic tables where Rin sat staring listlessly up at the long far-reaching branches of the trees that hid the sky.   
"Rin-kun," Alice called out once she was close enough.   
Smiling, Rin rose to his feet and took a few steps forward until the two were face to face. Alice smiled up at him but avoided direct eye contact. Rin's smile faded away.   
"You're upset." He stated flatly as he stared intensely at her. Alice felt the guilt spread through her body.   
"No, I…" It's not like that…her mind pleaded. I don't know why I do these things…I don't understand myself…   
Rin looked at Alice expectantly as he waited for her reply, but Alice was at a loss for words.   
"You're always like this," Rin said as he gently cupped her chin with his hand. Alice gave him a feeble smile and knew that Rin was not going to hold it against her. However, she was startled as Rin stepped closer and put his other arm around her waist. He pulled her against him and completely closed the gap between them.   
"Rin-kun!" Alice exclaimed, embarrassed to be held in such an intimate way in public. However, Rin did not release her from the hug, instead he pressed her more against his chest.   
He's so warm…Alice thought as she closed her eyes. He's so--   
Alice's eyes shot open and she gasped as she felt Rin's warm lips tracing the line of her jaw. Oh God, what is he…   
"Rin-ku.." Alice barely managed to say, but her throat had grown dry and tight that the word had not gone beyond finding form on her lips. Unable to speak, she brought her hands up to his shoulders with the intention of pushing him away, but her mind grew more clouded and her intentions completely dissipated as his lips traced high up her jaw line and against her neck.   
Once she felt his lips end contact with her skin, Alice felt some of her senses returning to her and her words managed to find a voice.   
"Rin-kun, not here, pleas--" She felt his warm breath caress her ear and her dizziness returned.   
"Where then?" He whispered in a low and sensual voice, caressing her with his words.   
"Hmm?" Alice could not focus and forgot to be embarrassed by Rin's public display of affection. Where? Alice echoed in her mind. I don't know…   
Rin did not wait for an answered. He kissed her ear lobe and began to suck it gently. In the shock of the intense contact, Alice grasped at Rin's shoulders and her breathing grew heavy. She shut her eyes tightly and felt heat course through her body.   
I…I…feel so…   
Her heart pounded monstrously. Each beat seemed to resonate in her ears.   
Can he feel it? Can he feel my heart pounding?   
'Rin-kun, not here please--'   
'Where then?'   
Alice's eyes snapped open as the words replayed in her head. Not here?? Where then?? What am I …What am I thinking?   
Rin let her go before she could pull away and she felt relieved. But when she looked up at his uneasy eyes, she realized that he'd already sensed her tension.   
"We should go," he said as he prepared to walk away. "We don't wanna miss our train." _

"Nothing. Nothing happened." Alice replied as she felt her heart beat resonate in her throat.   
Sakura peered closely at her friend.   
"I dunno. From the looks of your ear, it certain doesn't seem like nothing."   
"So what's the big news that you wanted to tell me this morning?" Alice countered, changing the topic.   
Sakura stared skeptically at her friend but quickly grew excited.   
"What makes you think it's big news?" Sakura gushed.   
"Well, when Hajime told me you wanted to meet me for breakfast so early this morning, I knew it had to be important. The last time you did that, was when you and Issei…" Alice's eyes grew wide.   
_When Sakura and Issei…_   
"Sakura…Are you…?"   
Sakura nodded, her eyes beaming with excitement.   
"You're pregnant?" 

Jinpachi wandered into the kitchen. He'd left the others outside with the excuse that he was going to get himself a cold drink. Truth be told, he wanted to see Alice.   
"So how'd it go with everyone?" Issei asked. Jinpachi turned to his friend, surprised to find him in the kitchen stirring sauce over the stove.   
"Oh, good. It's been great. Mind if I get a beer." Jinpachi asked.   
"Go ahead. I have some Asahi's chilling in the freezer."   
Jinpachi nodded and walked over to the fridge and pulled out a beer.   
"Did you already meet up with everyone?" Issei inquired.   
"Not quite yet." Jinpachi replied. "I still haven't seen--"   
Just at that moment the very cheery and giggly Alice and Sakura walked into the kitchen. The girls hardly noticed the other two in the room.   
"…Alice." Jinpachi finished.   
Alice looked up at the mention of her name, her eyes still gleaming with excitement.   
Jinpachi set down his beer on the counter and took a step forward.   
"Alice." He repeated, unable to unfasten his eyes from her.   
"Hello Jinpachi." She said. "I'm so glad to see you again." 

**Author's Note:** Sorry I took so long too update. I finally got a break from work so I took a desperately needed vacation. The Financial Aid Office lost my paperwork so now it looks like I won't be getting any money for college this year....Looks like I'll have to take a year off (weep...weep...sigh). Opps, sorry for ranting...

Anywaz, Please let me know what you thought of this chapter...**PLEASE**...I'd love your input.

Is it too melodramatic? Should I tone down the story? More action, less character development? Please let me know...I look forward to your comments.


	9. A Memory That Never Sleeps

**Pieces of September**  
A Memory That Never Sleeps

**Timeline: The Present - August -**

Time seemed to have stopped for Jinpachi. He had spent so much time thinking about Alice, picturing her in his mind; her body, her face, and her scent. Now that she stood before him, smiling, she still seemed unreal to him. _She is a dream. This is all a dream..._  
"Alice." He repeated. _Is this real?_ Jinpachi had often dreamt of moments like this one. He knew this moment was actually occurring, but he couldn't shake the fear that it might be another dream. _ This is real...This is now..._he assured himself.  
"Hello Jinpachi." Alice said. "I'm so glad to see you again." Her voice was musical and full of laughter. _Alice...I've wanted to see you all this time. I wanted to..._  
_("I'm sorry Jinpachi, but--")  
What is this? Is this a memory? Alice?  
("…those feelings you have for me…")  
No! Don't say it.  
("…I can't…")  
Don't say it!  
("…I can't return them…")_  
Jinpachi smiled. "I'm so glad to see you too Alice," he said as he walked toward her and hugged her unexpectedly. Alice gasped in surprise. Jinpachi had her pressed snuggly against his chest. Alice's arms remained limp at her sides, uncertain how to respond to Jinpachi's casual intimacy.  
Sakura and Issei stared as a wave of uneasiness washed over them, and both prayed that Rin would not unexpectedly enter and become witness to this scene.  
_It will end differently this time,_ Jinpachi told himself.  
_I'm sure of it.  
("Rin-kun is special to me.")  
Things haven't progressed between them, so…  
("He's not exactly Shion and I'm not exactly Mokuren…")  
…it's not necessarily interfering between lovers…  
("…but at the same time we are…")  
It probably hasn't even gone that for.  
("…it connects us…")  
If they were truly meant for each other, something would have happened by now.  
("…Rin and I.")   
So maybe there's hope that Alice and I…  
_ He thought of Angela who was waiting for his return back in France, and Rin, who had somehow managed to get Alice for himself. Jinpachi was certain that Rin could never make Alice happy, that he could never understand her; he only knew how to manipulate. _No, that's not true, you know that's not true,_ a voice deep inside him whispered.  
Jinpachi ignored it.  
_He raped her,_ his mind persisted.  
_This time she will chose me._  
The voice inside him chuckled hauntingly. _You forget your history, Jinpachi,_ it said in amusement. _You are too eager to forget._  


**Timeline:** University Years - Late March -  
[About Four Years Ago]  


_"I'm offering you this job, not just because you happen to be my good friend's son, but because your father has a great deal of faith in you. He says you have a good head for business and I believe him. I've never known your father to be partial, not even to his own son…"  
"…So I'm giving you three months to give me an answer…you should be graduating by then…"_ Jinpachi replayed the words in his head. _Three months, huh?_ He couldn't have asked for a sweeter offer. The pay and the position were more than he could have asked for, especially for someone who still had a bit to go before even graduating. And then there was the matter of France. Who wouldn't want to go? But thoughts of Alice Sakaguchi still haunted him and the mere notion of being in a distant place without her left a bad taste in his mouth.  
_I gave up so easily back then,_ Jinpachi thought, recalling that day in the hospital when Alice told Rin that he was her most important person. It hadn't exactly been a declaration on her part, but it had been enough at the time to persuade him to give up.  
_Back then, I figured that Rin was the one that Alice truly loved…I couldn't compete with the bond that tied them…but if that is so, then why does it all feel so wrong?_  
"I guess I've already decided," he said aloud to himself as he picked up the phone and began to dial.  
"Alice," he rehearsed as the phone began to ring. "How about meeting me and Issei for brunch tomorrow?"  
The line picked up and a familiar voice answered.  
"Sakaguchi Residence."  
Jinpachi cleared his throat before responding.  
"Alice, it's me, Jin. I was just wondering if you're free tomorrow afternoon."  


Alice eyed Jinpachi nervously. She had been surprised when he called her unexpectedly to invite her to have brunch with him and Issei. He had asked her to meet him at the park near the train station, but when she arrived she noted that Issei was nowhere in sight. There was only Jinpachi and his expressionless eyes with an atmosphere around him that made her want to run away from him.  
"Jinpachi, where is Issei?"  
Jinpachi smiled at her. It was a thin tight smile lacking in mirth. It was the kind of smile that wasn't really a smile at all; only a substitute to take form when one attempts to conceal his intentions. However, his own eyes even betrayed him; they were distant and even a bit hard. Alice wasn't sure what to make of him.  
"I lied to you, Alice."  
"Huh?"  
"Issei was never coming. He doesn't even know anything about this."  
Alice felt stunned; she couldn't comprehend Jinpachi's duplicity. It almost seemed silly to her.  
"The thing is," he continued. " I just wanted to talk to you alone."  
"Alone? I don't understand. You could've just said so--"  
"I couldn't. You forget that I know you, Alice. Sure, you might have said yes, but you'd back out at the last moment."  
"I wouldn't--"  
"Yes, you would. You've been avoiding me lately. Surely, you must know my intentions by now."  
"Jinpachi…I don't understand."  
"You don't, eh?" Jinpachi took hold of Alice's hand and pressed it against his chest, near his heart. "Are you so certain?"  
"Jinpachi, what--"  
"Or could you really be so blind?"  
Jin released her hand.  
Alice didn't answer him. She became increasingly aware of the rustling sound leaves made as wind attempted to shake them off their branches, and the playful screams of children as they swung from the long chain swings at the other end of the park. She was no longer standing in the park with Jinpachi. Her mind was with the squealing rails of the train in the distance and with the shrill of traffic and pedestrians at the nearest traffic light. Her mind was everywhere, but not with Jinpachi.  
_He's going to say it._  
"Alice are you listening to me?"  
_No._  
"Alice?"  
"Yes," she answered. "I'm listening."  
_No! I don't want to hear this._  
"Alice, I--"  
_Don't say it._  
"Why are you doing this, Jinpachi?" Alice interrupted.  
Jinpachi only vaguely reacted to the force emitting for her voice.  
"Well, I guess you aren't so blind." Jinpachi replied.  
"I'm serious about this. I thought this had ended a long time ago, but lately I feel you pushing me; saying things, looking at me…you, you're…" It took a lot at of Alice to be so direct and forceful, but she was mostly feeling doubtful of herself.  
Jinpachi stared down at her with sorrowful eyes. It pained him that his feelings for her were causing her so much distress, but he felt that he had no choice in the matter. He couldn't simply cast his feelings aside and remain the friend forever without at least trying.  
"I'm sorry it hurts you." Alice appeared to be noticeably shaken now. Her bangs were spilled over her face, covering her eyes. Instinctually, he reached forward and pushed her bangs aside. "But I don't regret this…" He rested his hand tenderly against her cheek.  
"No." Alice said flatly.   
"Hm?"  
Alice gently pushed his hand away.   
"I can't let you be so intimate with me."  
Her expression softened and her voice grew gentle.  
"I'm sorry Jinpachi, but--"  
_This is what eternity must feel Iike._  
"…those feelings you have for me…"  
_I know what's coming._  
"…I can't…"  
_I think I even expected it._  
"I can't..."  
_But when the moment finally arrives…_  
"… return them…"  
_…I cannot accept it._  
"It's because of Rin, isn't it?" Jinpachi said, his voice was cold and mechanical.  
Alice nodded. "Yes." _I never wanted to hurt you._  
"Rin-kun is special to me," she went on without having to be asked.  
"He's not exactly Shion and I'm not exactly Mokuren…but at the same time we _are_…it _connects_ us…_Rin_ and _I_."  
Jinpachi felt something inside him grow dead. The outcome had been predictable enough, but somewhere inside himself he had hoped that it would have turned out his way. He didn't want to hear her explanations and he certainly didn't want to hear about Rin.  
"I'm moving away to France, Alice." Jinpachi stated matter-of-factly, his voice was strangely calm and controlled.  
"What?" Alice was certain she'd misheard him or that he'd made some sort of slip of the tongue, but he was so serious as he spoke.  
"I'm moving away to France," he repeated.  
"How-why di-" Alice paused to collect her scattered thoughts. "When did you decide this?"  
Jinpachi smiled sadly. "Oh, I didn't decide it. I left that up to you."  


**Author's Note:** Since it is agreed that the Sakura/Issei story is interesting enough, I'm gonna continue to write on it. 

**Also:** Expect the next chapter in less that two weeks. 


	10. Issei and Sakura Part 4

**Pieces of September**  
Issei and Sakura: Into the Past [Part IV]

  
**Timeline:** University Years - April - Senior Year  
[About 4 Years Ago]

Issei toyed with the phone as he lay on his bed. He pulled at the rubber buttons and clicked the phone on and off repeatedly. He was being childish, that he knew, but mustering the courage to call Sakura was not an easy thing to do for him. Issei could only imagine her rage and anger. After all, Sakura was such a melodramatic girl; she always got carried away with her emotions and was quick to act on them. Issei would usually ignore her little emotional roller coasters, choosing not to let her drag him down with her, but this time it nagged him. His conscious was eating away at him and feeding him with guilt.  
"It's not like I really did anything to her. She's just overreacting," he reasoned with himself.  
"Who's overreacting?"  
A shadow had been cast over him. Issei looked up to the source of intrusion that hovered over him with curious round eyes.  
"Don't you know the meaning of privacy, you twerp?"  
The girl shot a hapless glare at her older brother and snatched the phone away from him.  
"I _tried_ knocking, but I guess your _Royal Twerpness_ is going deaf as well."  
"I happened to be deep in thought." Issei replied as he sat up on his bed.  
Sari shook her head in exasperation.  
"Gee, I didn't know you had it in you, tinker boy."  
Issei glared at her and threw his pillow as her face.  
"Don't call me that."  
Sari caught the pillow and shrugged.  
"Fine," she said without a second thought. Issei looked at her doubtfully, knowing full well that she had no intention of putting an end to her favorite nickname for him.  
"Whatever happened to that pesky little brat that used to look up to me?"  
"A brat, am I?" Sari grinned mischievously and swung the pillow at Issei. Issei blocked with his arm and yanked it away from her.  
"What'd you want anyways?"  
"I came looking for the phone," she said as she waved the device in his face. "You've been hogging it for almost two hours."  
"Give it back," Issei said as he extended his hand.  
"Didn't you hear me? I said, 'You've been hogging it for almost two hours.'" Sari replied.  
"Sari, there's an important call I need to make."  
Sari raised her brows.  
"And it's taken you two hours to make it? I take it that it has to do with a certain someone 'overreacting.'"  
Sari had expected some sort of reply from her brother, even a smart-aleck comeback, but Issei showed no reaction, nor the slightest implication that he was going to say anything.  
"Well then, lets see," Sari continued. "What could possibly be troubling my loser brother?"  
"Shut up." Issei snapped.  
"Well there are really only three options to choose from." Sakura went on. "Lets see, there is A: Jinpachi," she said as she began to count off from her fingers.  
"Let it go, will you?" Issei cut in but Sari didn't seem to be listening to him.  
"B: Jinpachi again." She paused and gave Issei a thoughtful look. "You know, I'm detecting a pattern here."  
Issei huffed and looked away.  
"Or it could be C: Sakura."  
Sari was quick to notice the dejection that washed over Issei and the subtle way his head hung down. Issei sensed her eyes probing into him and lay himself back down on his bed and turned his back to her. Sari took a seat next to her brother. She combed his bangs aside with her fingers and motherly pressed her hand against his forehead.  
"Sorry." Sari said, feeling a twinge of guilt rising inside her chest.  
Issei only nodded.  
"No, really. I mean it." Sari insisted.  
"I know you do."  
Sari smiled broadly and pinched Issei's right cheek.  
Issei yelped.  
"Wha?"  
Sari laughed. "Sakura, huh?" 

When Sakura got home, the first thing she did was check the answering machine for messages. _Five messages, huh?_ Sakura smiled and picked up the phone. _I suppose I should call him back, then. But I should make him squirm just a little for what he put me through._  
"Yeah, that's what I'll do," she said out loud to the empty house as she nodded.  
Sakura shuffled through the messages on the answering machine; the first two messages were for her father. The next message was an automated voice message explaining why the switch should be made to their phone company and the higher quality services they offer, the fourth was from a classmate. Sakura listened to the entirety of that message, afraid to skip the last one. A knot of nervousness had formed in her stomach as the message came to an end and the monotonous voice moved on to announce the last one…  
"_…message five:_ …um, hello?…uh, this message is for Sakura. This is Kintaro Mikage, I don't know if you remember me, we met at Club Paradise last weekend…and um well, I was wondering if you'd like to get together sometime, uh…maybe we could--"  
Sakura cut off the message. She felt the slightest tremble course through her hand as she did so.  
_He didn't call me…_  
Although Alice's words still rung in her mind, plaguing her to call Issei, they seemed so insignificant now.  
_He didn't call me…_  
The more she thought about calling him, the more it seemed to be a bad idea to do so.  
_Why should I be the one to call him? I'm not the one that is in the wrong here. He's the one that should call and apologize._  
You're too proud.  
_That's not true. He's the one who is proud. Shouldn't he have called me by now?_  
You must meet him halfway.  
_It's not like it even matters, anyway_, Sakura told herself.  
_Because I don't matter to him in that way…_  
Tell him how you feel.  
_Tell him how I feel? Then what? Have him tell me "Sorry Sakura, but you know my feelings for Jinpachi," or better yet, "I'm so flattered that you feel that way, but..."  
I'm setting myself up to end up just like him; the way he pines away for Jinpachi…its…_  
He's your friend.  
Sakura felt the rage and fight drain out of her. _I don't want this. I just want a normal friendship. At least we could have a normal friendship--_  
The phone rang loudly in her hand. Sakura dropped it, startled by the sudden pull into reality.  
"Um, hello? Ku-Kukusho residence," she spoke hesitantly into the phone.  
"Sakura? Is that you?" A confident voice replied.  
"Um, Aki?"  
The voice on the other end chuckled.  
"Yeah, it's me. For a moment I thought you wouldn't recognize my voice. I'm not imposing on anything am I? Maybe I caught you in a bad time? You sound a little strange."  
"Uh, no I'm fine. You're not imposing. It's just…I woke from a nap just before you called so I'm still a bit groggy," she lied as she tried to collect her thoughts.  
"Want me to call back later then?"  
"Oh, no. No. It's okay, really."  
"You sure?"  
"Yeah."  
"Okay, then. Glad we have that settled."  
Sakura laughed and felt her spirits returning to her.  
"It's always a pleasure to make a woman laugh," said Aki.  
Sakura could envision him smiling as he spoke.  
"Not many people would say I'm a lady," Sakura replied, envisioning a scornful Issei.  
"That's because those people lack manners and don't know beauty when they see it."  
"Oh please," Sakura scoffed. "Don't try to bait me with that nonsense. Do you honestly think I'm that easy?"  
"I only hoped," Aki replied in a rather boyish tone.  
"Well, don't bother," Sakura said flirtatiously.  
Aki sighed. "So does that mean that there's no hope of me getting you to go out with me tonight?"  
Sakura was dumbstruck.  
"Eh?"  
"There's a carnival I was planning to go to tonight, where the old high school used to be, and I was hoping that maybe you'd join me."  
Sakura had always gone a little out of her way to flirt with Aki Narita; he was incredibly handsome and athletic and well liked among their peers. But to Sakura, Aki represented many things that Issei was not. While Issei was soft spoken and artistic, Aki was outspoken and a master of sports; Issei was often self conscious and lacked confidence in himself, in contrast, Aki moved through life with certainty, never bothering to spend much time second guessing himself. Despite their flirtations, Sakura had never taken them seriously and would have never expected Aki to take any real interest in her.  
"Hello? Sakura? You still with me?"  
"Um, yeah."  
"So do you think I can talk you into going with me? Or have I failed miserably?"  
Sakura thought for a moment.  
"I…I think I'd love to go with you." 

Issei clicked off the phone and tossed it onto his bed. He watched as the phone bounced and rolled off onto the floor.  
"Damnit! It's still busy."  
He sat on the corner of his bed. After he and Sari had fought over the phone a bit more, Issei had finally mustered the courage to call Sakura, but all his efforts had been in vain; every time he called he was stonewalled with a busy signal. _Doesn't her family believe in call waiting?_ Issei wondered.  
In a moment of absolute decisiveness, Issei jumped to his feet and took his jacket out of the closet. _If I can't get a hold of her by phone, then I'll just have to go see her in person_, he thought as he put on his jacket and headed out the door. 

When Issei got to Sakura's house he was crestfallen to see that no one was home. He peered through the windows and into the backyard in hopes of finding someone, but it resulted in nothing. _What a waste of a trip that was_, Issei thought as he jammed his hands into his pockets and began his to way back to the train station.  
"She sure makes it difficult," Issei uttered to himself under his breath. He was now becoming acutely aware of the cold and began to feel stupid for not wearing a warmer jacket. Issei began to jog and quickly moved into a sprint. His lungs were quick to burn up, but his body remained cold. Realizing his effort to warm up was futile, Issei slowed down and stopped near the traffic light to catch his breath. He bent down and held himself up by propping his hands on his bent knees. Once his breathing had returned to near normal, Issei looked up and realized that he'd already reached the train station.  
He glanced down at his watch.  
_The next train should be arriving soon._  
Issei crossed the street; his legs felt weak and unsteady as he moved. _This is no good. Looks like I need to work out more_. He neared the station platform, still contemplating his unfit body when he saw her. It was Sakura. She was smiling up at a tall athletic looking man, whom Issei recognized as Aki Narita.  
Issei could not move, his tired heavy legs were planted to the ground. He could only watch. Watch as the train arrived. Watch as Sakura and Aki boarded. And watch as Aki wrapped his jacket around her shoulders just as the train began to roll away. Issei closed his hand in a tight fist as a mixture of emotion overcame him. He could not fathom what it was that he felt, he only knew that his body felt heavy and tight, like he could explode any moment.  
  
  
**Author's Note:** I don't know Issei's sister's actual name so I made one up for her, but if anyone knows, please tell me.

I'm also finding that I'm really beginning to have fun with the Issei/Sakura Story line. But don't worry, the next chapter will deal with Rin and Alice...


	11. The Taste of Unwanted Kisses

**Pieces of September  
**The Taste of Unwanted Kisses

**Timeline:** The Present - August -

It seemed like she'd been in Jinpachi's arms forever, although Alice realized that in fact, only a few moments had passed. _Please, not this,_ she thought as uneasiness alarmed her to pull away.

"Don't hold me so tight, or I'll break," she joked, her voice shy and timid.

Jinpachi laughed as he reddened from embarrassment. He loosened his hold on her, but his body resisted to be the one to pull away. Sensing this, Alice stepped back and pulled free from his embrace.

"Sorry about that, it's just that I haven't seen you in so long." Jinpachi said rather shamefacedly.

"Hey! How come I didn't get a greeting from you like that, eh?" Issei blurted out, hoping that his play at humor would break the tension. Instead it seemed that it had the opposite effect. Sakura jabbed him in the ribs with her elbow, sending Issei doubling over in pain. Jinpachi and Alice stared wide-eyed at the couple.

Sakura grinned sheepishly.

"Husbands." She said as if the word were explanation enough. She grabbed Issei by the arm and dragged him out of the kitchen and out into the living room.

_"You say the dumbest things sometimes,"_ Jinpachi and Alice overheard Sakura tell Issei.

"Sakura! The sauce!"

"It'll be fine, I set the heat on low…"

Jinpachi and Alice turned to each other and burst out in laughter.

"Can you believe those two?" said Jinpachi; pointing in the direction they left.

Alice nodded. "They're great, aren't they?"

"Well, I guess that's one way to see it. It's kinda hard to tell with them squabbling all the time. You know, they've been like that since I got here."

"They seem to fight a lot, its true, but they're never serious about it. If you look at them closely when they're arguing, you can see the affection they have for each other."

Jinpachi nodded, impressed by Alice's observation.

"I see what you mean. I guess I'm just a little jealous."

Alice's eyes widened in surprise.

"Jealous?"

"Yeah. Aren't you? It's like they're in their own special world, just the two of them. I guess I'm a bit jealous because I've never felt that with anybody…"

When Haru and Daisuke began to wonder where Jinpachi had wandered off to, Rin was quick to volunteer to go find him. The fact that he didn't trust Jinpachi to be near Alice for long periods of time definitely played a factor in his decision to seek him out, but mainly it was Daisuke's unprovoked lecture on the 'language acquisition among children' that really motivated him.

_That guy can put a toaster to sleep_, Rin thought as he walked through the hallway. He was on his way to the living room when spied Jinpachi and Alice in the kitchen from the corner of his eye. Rin positioned himself at an angle from the doorway, allowing him to see without being seen in return. He listened in on their conversation, straining to grab onto bits and pieces of what they said. Rin followed the movement of their lips, but was only partially successful since Jinpachi's back was to him for the most part.

"…not working out…hoped, but…." What the hell is he saying? Rin grew irritated that he could barely follow Jinpachi's side of the conversation. His gaze followed Jinpachi's hands, as Jin made an effort to touch Alice, just barely brushing his hands against her arms and her clothes as he gestured in speech.

"…be returning to France?" Rin heard Alice say.

Jinpachi nodded. "Yeah but….for certain….it's indefinite."

There was a pregnant silence between them. Jinpachi turned to face the kitchen doorway, and Rin quickly pressed himself up against the wall. Jinpachi's shoes clanked on the kitchen floor and he walk toward the doorway, his steps growing louder. Rin prepared to walk away when the footsteps paused.

"About what I said before…about leaving France and well…" With Jinpachi's nearness, Rin could now hear every word he said, he remained perfectly still, afraid that any slight movement would alert Jinpachi to his presence. "…I said some things that I shouldn't have…I"

"Its' okay," said Alice.

"No. Please hear me out. I said some things that weren't really fair to you, and I just wanted to apologize for that…"

Rin clenched his fist and gritted his teeth. _He's up to something, I can feel it. He's not being as obvious as he was back then, but..._

**Timeline: **University Years - Late March -

About 4 Years Ago

Rin was on his way to meet Ayumi at the music hall. His movement was slow and sluggish; he almost appeared as if he was walking under water. The temperature was neither too hot nor humid, however the overcast sky had left Rin feeling sleepy and bored all morning. It took him nearly an hour to crawl out of bed; it had been miraculous in itself that he'd gotten out of bed at all. Even now, as he cut across the park, Rin's mind remained in a dream-like state. The dark sunglasses he wore dimmed the world to a state of near sleep, depleting it of its light and colors.

It was in this state of mind that Rin spotted Alice and Jinpachi several yards down. He was puzzled but still too dazed to make any assessment of the situation. Rin could only think it curious that Alice and Jinpachi seemed to be carrying on so seriously with Issei nowhere in sight. Rin pulled off his sunglasses as he approached them and opened his mouth to speak.

"Ji" he began to call out, but he quickly cut himself off as he caught onto their conversation.

"I'm moving away to France, Alice." Jinpachi said.

Rin leaned up against the nearby tree, his thin frame completely hidden from sight. His mind couldn't believe what he was hearing. He felt too stunned to feel anything.

"I'm moving away to France," Jinpachi repeated to Alice.

"How...why di-" Alice struggled to find the right words. "When did you decide this?"

"Oh, I didn't decide it. I left that up to you."

There was a long stretch of silence. The silence grew and Rin began to wonder if Jin and Alice had left. His muscles twitched as he fought his instinct to peer from behind the tree. Certainly Jin and Alice had not taken notice of Rin when he first approached them, however, he was sure that he would now be spotted if he made the attempt.

"You're cruel, Jinpachi Ogura. To say such a thing…I"

"I'm being cruel? I'm sorry Alice, but it sure doesn't feel like it from this point of view. I'm not doing this to hurt you. It's youall this time, you've been the one hurting me."

"How can you say that?"

"Because it's how I feel!" Again, that silence. Rin pressed his fists up against the tree; pressed in his flesh until the pain of grinding and cut flesh became indiscernible. It would have been easy enough to step out and beat Jinpachi down, but Sarjalim only knows how Alice would react.

"Besides," Jinpachi finally continued, his voice much calmer and apologetic in tone, "How can I stay here and have you just within my reach, but be unable to get close to you? Do you know what this has been doing to me?"

Rin finally dared to peer out from behind the tree, certain that they would not take any notice of him now. He took notice of Alice, she stood dejectedly, her eyes pained and sorrowful. Jinpachi stepped toward her, filling the small gap between them and took her hand.

"I know that you feel you have an obligation to Rin, I even admire your loyalty to him, but where does that leave me?" Jinpachi brought his hands up to her face and gently stroked her cheek. He leaned in closer, until his face was barely inches away from hers.

"Is it too much to hope that there could ever be an us?" he asked. Just as he finished his words, Jinpachi leaned in and kissed Alice. She closed her eyes but her expression remained pained.

Rin was now standing in plain sight; his fists were clenched and bloodied. He picked up a nickel-sized rock and rubbed his fingers hard against the sharp edges, as if trying to compress all of his anger into it. He took it in his right hand as if he were holding a baseball then swung it out as hard as he could.

Jinpachi jumped and pulled away from Alice as soon as the rock smacked him in the back of the head. Rin dashed back behind the tree, before Jin or Alice could take any notice of him. Jinpachi rubbed his head, groaning in pain. He noticed a wetness and realized it was his blood tangling into his hair.

"What the hell was that!" Jinpachi cursed, still reeling from the pain. Alice stared unresponsively at Jinpachi, still dazed from being kissed.

Jinpachi looked around for what could have possibly struck him. "I swear," he uttered, "they ought to put up signs or something, 'Beware of flying fast objects'"

"I have to go now." Alice interrupted, her voice was shaky despite her attempt at composure.

"Alice? But wh"

"I'm sorry."

Alice took off running before Jinpachi could say anything more. Jinpachi started after her, but he stopped, seemingly too dizzy to go on. He seated himself on the park bench and pulled out a napkin from his pocket to nurse his wound. With Jinpachi's back to him, Rin put on his sunglasses and walked away, suddenly aware of the throbbing in his knuckles and the bitterness in his mouth.

**Timeline:** The Present - August -

"So what do you say? Do you think we can ever be friends again? Could you ever forgive me?" Jinpachi cast his eyes downward, almost dramatically.

Alice took Jinpachi's hand in a friendly hold and smiled warmly; her face beaming with innocence.

"Jinpachi, it's okay. We have always been friends. There's no need for you to apologize, really. It's all been forgotten."

"So how's the reunion going? You two catching up on old times?" Rin interrupted.

Jinpachi and Alice turned around startled. Rin casually walked into the kitchen with his hands in his pocket and a boyish grin painted on his face. Jinpachi looked away for a moment feeling uneasy and stricken with guilt, but he was quick to mask his discomfort with a cheerful grin.

"We're getting along great. Alice was just filling me in on some things. It almost feels like I never left." Jinpachi replied.

"That's good to hear. For a moment you had me worried that you might try to steal Alice behind my back," Rin laughed at his own lack of subtlety. Jinpachi and Alice chuckled nervously, not quite sure what to make of it.

"We should probably get back to the others," Rin went on without skipping a beat. "When I left, Daisuke was still ranting on with another one of his _fascinating_ lectures. I'm sure Haru is praying for some sort of divine intervention about now."

Rin took Alice by the hand and led her out. Jinpachi remained unmoved. His eyes were fixed upon them with intensity. The ease with which Rin had taken Alice's hand, and the tepid blush that had crept upon her cheeks as soon as their skin made contact had not escaped Jinpachi's attention.

_Does he touch you, Alice? What kind of relationship exists between you that allows him to touch you so carelessly?_

"Come on, Jin. What's taking you?" Rin called out.

Jinpachi dug his hands in his pockets and trailed behind them, his eyes still fixated on their interlocking hands. _Does he kiss you? Do you let him kiss you, Alice? _The expression on her face, the unmistakable glow of a blush persisted in his mind, mocking him. _Do you ever kiss him back?_

**Author's Note:** Yes, this is the same chapter with the exception of some editing and additions. Looks like I'm back with this little old abadoned fic of mine. Lets see how it goes.


	12. Issei and Sakura Part 5

**Pieces of September**  
Issei and Sakura: Into the Past Part V 

_The Torment of Dead Things_

**Timeline:** University Years - April - Senior Year  
About 4 Years Ago 

He hadn't expected to feel so dejected. The whole situation with Sakura had him so upset that he nearly forgot to sulk over Jinpachi's plans to leave for France.

Almost.

Issei sat on the grass overlooking the koi pond in his grandmother's backyard. Despite his seeming serenity, a tempest was fermenting his thoughts, threatening to fracture what little composure he had left. _Jinpachi is leaving Japan…Sakura is leaving me, and I'm just…_It was pointless to be upset. He knew this; the problem was that he didn't feel it. He angrily chucked a pebble into the water and watched it ricochet off a fish. With no time to react to its sudden demise, the koi sunk to its side and the surrounding fish bolted away. Issei jumped up to his knees and peered into the pond.

"Oh crap," he muttered. _Did I kill it?_ He crawled forward to take a closer look. _Oh man, if my Grandma sees it—_

"Skipping stones is really not your forte, is it?" A voice interjected. He turned around to find Rin standing over him. "Or were you actually aiming to kill that fish?"

Rin shook his head, "Poor thing, what did it ever do to deserve your wrath, I wonder."

Issei scrambled to his feet and dusted off his pants. He met Rin's eyes, hoping to hide his embarrassment.

"I was just…" Issei started to explain, but couldn't find the right words to mouth his frustrations. "The fish, it was…"

"Hey, relax. This is not an interrogation. I was just teasing you."

"Yeah, I guess." Issei muttered, taking a seat on the cool moist grass.

"What's eating at you these days, Issei?" Rin sat beside him, noting the way Issei fidgeted with the grass.

"I'm not really sure, to tell you the truth," Issei replied, the fish now forgotten. "There're so many things swimming in my head right now, and it all seems to get so messed up. Then I just feel so angry with myself for not quite getting why."

"Hmm. Sounds inconvenient."

Issei laughed, "Yeah, something like that."

Issei recalled how a lifetime ago a woman named Enju found comfort and understanding from the emotionally hardened Shion, and found solace in that memory. A lifetime later, as different as they were from those people, they found themselves coming full circle.

"Patience has its limitations, you know."

As young as Rin was, he never failed to impress Issei. One minute Rin perfectly fit the part of the unruly adolescent, mischievous and petulant; the next, he was solemn and introspective, with the kind of reflectivity associated with age.

"If you're talking about Jinpachi, don't worry. That ship sailed a long time ago." It embarrassed Issei to admit that as hopeless as his feelings were for Jinpachi, the heart that belonged to Enju still dared to hope that Jinpachi would one day look at him much like he had looked at Mokuren.

"You're rather narrow-minded, aren't you?" It was a statement, not a question.

"What do you mean?"

Rin chuckled and shook his head. "Poor Sakura," he said compassionately. "She just can't compare to good old Jin, can she?"

Issei strained to make the connection.

"Wha…what are you implying, Rin?"

"I'm not implying anything," Rin replied. "The problem with you is that you're so caught up in your Enju mini-dramas that you've forgotten all about Issei and the world he lives in."

Issei sighed. "Is that really how I seem like to you? Am I so pathetic?"

"I'm only saying it because I'm your friend."

"Rin, about Sakura…"

"Yeah?"

"What did you mean by what you said?"

"I think you already know the answer to that question."

Issei scoffed. "Right now I'm more concerned with keeping my friendship. I think you're seeing too much into it."

"Patience has its limitations," Rin repeated just above a whisper. He lay back into the grass, crossing his arms across his forehead, and gazing listlessly into the pale sky.

"Issei, I gotta ask. Alice and me, are we really so strange?"

Issei raised a startled brow. For someone who was considered exceedingly intelligent and cunningly bright, Rin was looking more like his age; an anxious, turmoil ridden teen, chalk full of the uncertainty that often accompanied adolescence. Though it was befitting for a boy his age, it didn't always suit Rin to play that particular part.

"I don't think you're so strange. But that's not what you're asking, right?" The whole concept of normal was lost to him. What was normal to a man who never understood himself in that context? They were all in the same boat, really. Struggling to grasp a piece of normality, trying to understand what was acceptably normal and shape their lives around it. But it was never enough. They could never find their footing, normal was too strange.

Rin closed his eyes.

When he offered no response, Issei took it as a silent yes.

"I know you two are serious, and all but--"

"Do you now? Do you think Alice is really serious about me?"

"Well, you know how she is. That girl rarely kids around about anything, and she's not a very good liar."

"That's true."

"And you two have seemed pretty close."

"I used to think that too, but now she's so...so..." Rin paused, feeling a constriction in his throat. He was losing grasp of his emotions and it disturbed him. He could not tolerate the possibility that someone might see him break down. He took a moment to pull himself together, hoping that Issei would not notice.

"Rin? Are you--"

"A while back I sort of proposed, you see." Rin hadn't planned on exposing this secret of theirs, but it was surprisingly easier than expressing himself. Facts were easy, it's feelings that are harder to express.

Issei looked stunned.

"You asked her to marry?"

"Yeah, but…it's not…it's not working out as I'd hoped. It's supposed to be a long engagement, at least until I'm old enough. But lately she's become distant whenever we're together. It feels more like I'm a little brother vying for attention, than her boyfriend."

Issei nodded, too astounded to reply or offer any reassurance. The truth was that he wasn't sure if anything he said could help. One thing he'd learned in the course of two lifetimes was that telling someone that their problems would turn out all right truly did nothing more than belittle their suffering.

He wrapped his arms around his legs, pressing them firmly against his chest. In his mind's eye he saw that ponce, Aki Narita, once again smiling like a dolt as he wrapped his jacket around Sakura's shoulder. He felt his anger rising and rose to his feet. More than Aki Narita acting too familiar with Sakura, it bothered Issei to remember the look she had given him in return; soft and decidedly feminine, like someone who wanted to be embraced.

"So, what are you gonna do about the fish? Your grandmother is gonna kill you, right?" Rin asked.

"Nah, I'll just say it was Jinpachi. For some reason she doesn't like him much anyway," Issei replied as he chucked another pebble at the lifeless koi, only now his expression was hard and his voice heavy with enmity.

_Sakura…_

Rin glanced up at Issei, aware of the squall that was forming inside him, tormenting himself with his own ignorance.

_Moron_. Rin stared at the dead fish in the water, noting how the small koi darted nervously around it. _Why do I feel like he's about to do something stupid?_

**Author's notes:** The next chapter or two will be exclusively Sakura & Issei, I'm hoping to wrap up their story to move on to the next plot point. Enjoy!_  
_


	13. Issei and Sakura Part 6

**Pieces of September**

Issei and Sakura: Into the Past VI

**Timeline:** University Years - April - Senior Year  
About 4 Years Ago

When Sakura agreed to see Aki again on Friday, she didn't realize just how much over her head she was getting. It wasn't until the train ride back that she began to regret her decision, but she didn't have the heart to go back on her word. Aki had stayed close to her the whole evening, making frequent physical contact. She couldn't help but feel flustered around him. He was like one gigantic erogenous zone the way he seemed to find some way to touch her; brushing strands of hair from her face, bumping shoulder to shoulder, his knuckles grazing hers as they walked side by side. Sakura had done her best to ignore it, but it became increasingly difficult on their train ride home with his arm draped around her and his tall muscular frame nearly cupping her from behind.

The train was nearly empty with plenty of open seats and yet they were the only ones standing. Although the train ride wasn't long, Sakura had longed to rest her legs after all the walking they'd done. But as soon as they stepped into the train cabin, Aki had made a point to drape himself on her and made no motions to sit. Sakura was fully aware of the passengers who were pretending not to notice them and felt all the more embarrassed to realize that they must look like lovers who couldn't keep their hands off each other.

_Oh God…_she heard herself utter from the back of her mind.

"Did you have a good time?" Aki whisper in her ear, his voice low and masculine.

"Y--yes." Sakura nearly jump. Aki was so close that she could feel the warm breath of his words against her neck as he spoke.

"I'm glad. You seemed so quiet most of the evening."

"Yeah. I'm not really much of a gabber," she said, her hands fidgeting with the drawstrings on her khakis.

"Strange. I've always taken you for the talkative type."

Sakura opened her mouth to respond, but words failed her. She felt like a timid wallflower being fawned over by an oversexed playboy. Or like a bunny in a den full of lions.

The train squealed and jolted as it came to a stop. Aki pinned her against the train doors, leaving nearly no room between them. Sakura stiffened and refused to look up knowing just how unhinged they must seem to the other passengers on the train. It embarrassed her to think that someone who might recognize her was among the riders.

_Okay, so maybe the oversexed playboy bit was a bit much_, she thought. _He's just being ultra polite…_

"It's okay," she said as she ducked away from him. "I've got good balance."

_I've got good balance?_ Sakura couldn't have felt any stupider had she said that Penguins were, in fact, excellent flyers. But Aki merely smiled and took her hand.

As they made their way out the train and onto the platform, Aki leaned over her and murmured, "I like that you're shy around me."

Although this had worked its desired effect in making her blush, deep down inside she heard her less tactful self scoff._ You've got to me kidding me._

When she first accepted this date Sakura hadn't been stupid enough to believe there were no romantic overtures involved in Aki's invitation, but now she was having a hard time dealing his express interest in her. Yet it was specifically because Issei didn't like him that Sakura felt drawn to him. After all, Aki was the anti-Issei. Any way you looked at it, Aki was stronger, more popular, better looking, and far more easygoing. Then there was Issei who liked to wallow in misery, associated with few people outside his circle of friends, and wore his masculinity like a painted rubber mask.

Sakura liked the normality that Aki brought to her life. As much as she had treasured the depth of her friendship with Issei, lately it had become merely suffocating. Worst of all, she was starting to get an intimate look into what it meant to be Enju. It was bad enough that she lived through two lifetimes with front row seats to the never-ending mini drama of Enju's broken heart, now she was burdened with the prospect of also playing the part.

It was for that very reason that she didn't shirk away when Aki leaned over to kiss her goodnight. He brushed his lips to the corner of her mouth, and although it was only a half kiss Sakura felt the faintest shudder fluctuate up and down her spine.

"See ya Friday, then," he said as he pulled away to meet her eyes.

"Yeah, Friday."

As soon as she was back in the privacy of her own room, Sakura threw herself on her bed and squealed with excitement. Whatever reservations she has about Aki that evening has dissipated at the prospect of being the object of affection of the most sought after guy at Tokyo U.

It shamed her to think how much like a schoolgirl she must have seemed. Although, it satisfied her to realize that Issei had hardly been the object of her thoughts that night. Perhaps there was hope for her after all. She walked across the room to her dresser and stared at her reflection in the mirror.

_I am Sakura_, she told herself. _Not Shusuran. Not Enju's confidante_. She was determined to be her own person separate from Issei. It felt as though her life had always revolved around Issei and Enju's broken heart.

She brushed her fingers where Aki had kissed her and felt an inkling of excitement spread inside her chest. For once somebody wanted her, and it wasn't because she was a sympathetic friend or a good shoulder to cry on. She was desired, and the object of desire. So why was it that the thought of being Aki Narita's girlfriend made her want to cry?

**Timeline:** The Moon Base - A lifetime Ago

_Enju?_

Shusuran kicked the covers off her bed and sat up. She must have been asleep for no longer than thirty minutes when the distant echo of sobbing woke her.

_Enju, is that you?_

The sobbing stopped. Shusuran lay back down and curled to her side. She knew enough not to press her too hard.

_I'm here if you need me._

Across the hall and six doors down, she imagined Enju curled up at the corner of her bed, clutching her pillow across her chest and soaking it with tears.

_Thank you, Shu._

Shusuran smiled. Enju's voice had been so small and tender, like a fevered child. Rarely had she come across someone so genuinely kind and good natured. Come to think of it, aside from Mokuren, Shusuran had never met anyone who was so pure of heart. But even pure hearts could be broken.

_That bastard,_ she thought a little too loudly as anger took control of her.

_Please. Don't,_ Enju pleaded. _He's not the one to blame._

_But, Enju—_

_No_, she persisted. _He's never made any promises to me. I'm the one who wanted this._

Shusuran let it go but refused to understand Enju's reasoning.

_You're too kind for your own good._

_You're wrong, Shu._

Shusuran shook her head and closed off the segment of her mind that hated Gyokuran from Enju. She was obviously hurting, and listening to Shusuran disparage Gyokuran would only make things worse. Still, Shusuran could help but feel outraged by how recklessly he used Enju. Perhaps he just needed the comfort of another warm body, as Enju said. Shusuran could understand that. They were so far away from home, and not days ago they had learned that there was longer a home waiting for them to return to. But she still could not forgive how he easily he could crawl into Enju's bed while thinking of another, and knowing full well that his new bed buddy loved him beyond reason.

_He doesn't know,_ Enju's thoughts interjected.

Shusuran felt embarrassed. _I didn't mean for that to slip. I'm sorry._

_Don't worry about it._

Shusuran was overcome with relief.

_But, Enju_, she proceeded cautiously. _Why haven't you told him?_

Enju was silent and Shusuran pondered if she should go down the hall to her room and check up on her.

_It would have been too cruel to him_, she finally replied. _I've known all this time that he's in love with her. What good would it do to burden him with my feelings?_

Shusuran closed her eyes and felt the tears well up along the crevices of her lashes. _Why can't I be your strength, Enju? Why must you be the one to be broken?_

Unlike Enju, Shusuran had never suffered the pangs of a broken heart. She recalled during her sophomore year in college how she'd come across her boyfriend's infidelity. Without explanation or looking back, she broke it off with him the following day. They had been together since their junior year of high school. That was the distinction between the two girls. Shusuran was so unforgiving and calculating. When something went wrong in her life, her answer was not to mope or find forgiveness within herself. Her response was to cut out the factor that might cause her grief. She was not a selfless person; she could never be like Enju.

_Not all angels have wings or voices that stir the trees to grow_, she thought silently only to herself.

**Author's Note:** Thank you to my readers. I apologize for taking so long to wrap up this fic. Reviews and comments are always appreciated.

Next chapter will be a Rin & Alice story, with more of Jinpachi. Gotta love it when this guy rants.

I also plan on going back and cleaning up several of my first chapters, the timeline is such a mess. I must've been on something good, because I can't seem to follow it too well myself.


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